In an age of constant chaos and always-on digital culture, the most persistent advice to fight the machine has been surprisingly analogue: go touch grass. Fashion has taken note, and after more than a decade dominated by hype, the sneaker is beginning to soften.

Step forward a new wave of footwear. Slimmer silhouettes in suede, satin and nylon, led by luxury brands such as LOEWE, LEMAIRE and Dries Van Noten – alongside Jacquemus’ recent collaboration with Nike. Shoes that are closer to wearing slippers or socks have become a sartorial solution for a generation that wants to feel more grounded. “Interest in wellness from millennial consumers is being taken more seriously,” says the fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell. “Research shows that when people feel low, they reach for softer fabrics and tactile objects.”

The rise of the “soft sneaker” draws from the running shoes of the 1970s, such as the Brooks Villanova (1975), New Balance 320 (1976) and Nike Waffle Racer (1972) or the 1971 prototype “Moon Shoe”. (For the launch of his brand’s reworking of the latter, Simon Porte Jacquemus noted he was won over by the shoe’s “timeless yet modern simplicity and execution”.) But it is also a response to what came immediately before it.

Over the past two decades, the sneaker market has exploded. But saturation led to fatigue. Consumers began seeking out sneakers for their original purpose: performance. Post-pandemic, run clubs and community-driven fitness elevated brands such as ON and Hoka, challenging established players.

A second vibe shift followed when men started dressing up again, favouring loafers and boat shoes, which gained traction along with the return of wide-leg trousers. Luxury brands responded by reissuing archival designs and low-profile sneakers saw an uptick among early adopters. The soft sneaker can be seen as the final form in this quest for comfortable shoe for all situations.

“I’m always looking for options that can be dressed up or down, footwear that bridges the gap,” says Gabriel Hultberg, senior stylist at Kith. “Right now feels like one of the best moments for that category. What’s exciting to see is that our community is willing to move in that direction with us. Whether that means toning down logo-heavy pieces or introducing more formal footwear that blurs the line between shoe and sneaker.”

This shift goes beyond aesthetics and speaks to a wider need for connection, as flexible soles and lightweight uppers mimic the feeling of walking barefoot. The trend forecasting authority WGSN describes this moment as part of “the great exhaustion”, predicting that by 2027, consumers will seek slower, more meaningful ways of living. What began with quiet luxury will evolve into clothing that feel less restrictive and footwear that’s more grounded – think sneakers that act like slippers.

“Clothing and accessories that can feed that sensory desire to slow down are sought out, and softer sneakers meet that need,” Forbes-Bell says.

Despite its elevated cortisol levels, the TV series Succession tapped into this by offering a window into the lifestyle habits of the 0.1 per cent. Not just how they lived, but what they chose to live in. Kendall Roy’s loafers, for example, walked the line between casual utility and comfort. Their slip-on functionality and suede uppers made wearing them an almost indulgent experience.

The show also highlighted that the man who shops at the likes of The Row, ZEGNA or Brunello Cucinelli expects to live in a state of elevated comfort. Clothes no longer need to signal utility as interaction with the outside world is kept minimal. In some cases, the soles of shoes are confined to indoor living, transitioning from home to chauffeur-driven car to PJ, from private dining room to boardroom. That same mindset now informs the sneaker market.

Even beyond the C-suite, in the face of return-to-office mandates and a smartening of the WFH uniform, hybrid dressing has become the wardrobe cheat code. Jackets are loose, ties are back, denim is relaxed yet sharp (see Michael Rider’s CELINE). The softer sneaker brings all these themes together.

But perhaps more than that, they also bring us closer to the ground.