THE JOURNAL
This is a safe space. Can I say something? I’ll take the silence as confirmation that I may go ahead… I utterly loathe media that entertains and promotes the notion that sneakers are edging – stepping, even – ever closer to becoming outmoded. It’s nonsense, typically born from conservative menswear-heads unable to fathom the idea that a world they’re not attuned to is a) important and b) here to stay. (Breathe; breathe.)
Sure, running shoes, like all things, experience waves of increased popularity, but please note that sneaker subcultures have maintained since at least the 1980s, when Nike first set foot on the basketball court. Ever since, a community has been built on and fostered by the stories that sneakers can tell – accounts of technological feats, sports triumphs, travel, collaboration, pop-culture phenomena, personal journeys and more. Sneakers are of cultural significance. They are totems of developments in style and technology, accessible to all.
For those looking to put their best foot forward, here are this year’s most prominent sneaker trends so far.
01. Retro-chic kicks
The low-profile sneakers that were ubiquitous in the 1970s have made a resurgence, resulting in big bucks for adidas Originals and Nike. The former has recently sold countless Sambas, as well as a lot of SL72s and SL76s, thanks to influential British-Caribbean designer Grace Wales Bonner shining a spotlight on these understated silhouettes. (Look out for Gazelles, Spezials and Forest Hills, too.) Nike has also been pushing a slew of its OG kicks to afford individuality, a top pick being the LD-1000.
Elsewhere, New Balance has its own archive of running shoes to pull from, with forgotten silhouettes often re-emerging. Other brands have their own libraries of old-school styles. Autry, for example, is an American stalwart of the 1980s and 1990s – currently enjoying a revival.
Not to be outdone, numerous luxury brands have also added vintage-inspired running shoes to their lineups. Indeed, the likes of LOEWE, Maison Margiela and Dries Van Noten have some cult hits on their hands. Or, er, feet.
MR PORTER Buyer, Sammy Skipper, confirms that the popularity of this retro silhouette shows no sign of stopping. “The most prevalent trend for 2025 will be low profile,” he says. “It will transcend across every type of brand, from sportswear to designer.”
02. Blurred lines
A recent highlight for us crep collectors was the 1906L, a sneaker-loafer that emerged from New Balance’s Warrington office last year. The smart-casual shoe ties in with current trends of neo-prep and corpcore. Skipper suggests that the “explosion” of versions bursting into stores this year indicates that “the micro trend will continue”.
My advice: take heed. My other advice: if the 1906L is too modern to suit your aesthetic, look to the traditional brands that are crafting slip-on sneakers using the same techniques they apply to formal footwear – John Lobb, Christan Louboutin and Berluti all offer polished, office-appropriate versions.
03. Time warp
“The vintage-tech trend has been around for a while now, but the next move in this space is the melding of vintage-tech silhouettes with new technology,” Skipper says.
Where eras coalesce, surface areas tend to multiply – thus, this trend will lead into the resurgence of the big steppers. Balenciaga is, as ever, ahead of the curve with its 10XL and Monday silhouettes, while the likes of New Balance, ON and Hoka are neck-and-neck in the race of high-tech hardware for your feet.
04. Feeling blue
If the early part of this year was lit up in pink – with the sportswear giants releasing models in shades ranging from a delicate “dusted clay” to the less-than-subtle “atomic pink” – then the colour wheel has since turned and landed on blue.
In the luxury sector, the likes of LOEWE, Valentino Garavani and TOM FORD are offering up blues that cover everything from electric to baby. But the biggest takeaway is that it isn’t so much about the tone you take, so long as there’s a pop of colour on the end of your legs.
05. Big birthdays for big shoes
Two of the most seminal sneaker silhouettes of the past century celebrate big birthdays this year: that’s the Nike Dunk (40!) and the Nike Air Max 95 (30!). As a result, 1980s and 1990s kicks are hard to avoid right now. And we say dip a toe into this wave of nostalgia.
Embrace this revival of original design elements, the return of beloved colourways and special-edition packaging commemorating the occasions. Fellow sneakerheads, this is turning into quite the year.