THE JOURNAL
Is this 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 in 2025, here are the year’s most prominent sneaker trends.
01. 1970s sleek
The low-profile kicks ubiquitous in the 1970s have recently made a resurgence, resulting in big bucks for adidas Originals and Nike. The former has recently flogged 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. The latter has been pushing a slew of its OG kicks to afford individuality, a top pick being the LD-1000.
Upcoming collections point to the trend’s growth and endurance. Sequinned Sambas appeared on Wales Bonner’s SS25 runway, alongside Superstars. The latter silhouette Pharrell Williams – whose style often foreshadows upcoming trends – has also championed in recent months (see the musician-cum-designer’s incoming line of Superstars). Footwear in other coveted luxury collections resemble Nike’s early offerings.
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 sober aesthetic, look to the traditional brands that are crafting slip-on sneakers using the same techniques they apply to formal footwear. Brunello Cuccinelli and Manolo Blahnik offer polished, office-appropriate versions.
03. The 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.
The latest silhouette to come from Oakley – characterised by an integrated exoskeleton, a forward-thinking innovation for the brand – is evidence of Skipper’s claim. Its futuristic take on a 1990s hiking form is called the Oakley Factory Team Ibex, but just “Ibex” will do.
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 silhouette, while On’s recent mission to expand its soles aligns with the movement.
04. Think pink
One of the biggest takeaways of the AW25 runway shows is that pink is the colour du jour. And it seems the sneaker makers received the memo a long while before the fashion houses.
Impending hype drops from Nike, Salomon and their peers are doused in hues named “dusted clay”, “fairy tale” and “atomic pink”. General releases – from the New Balance 860v2 to the adidas BRMD – are also suddenly cropping up in similar shades.
Some attribute the comeback to 2000s nostalgia with the colour’s comeback. However, we are calling it the G(a)linda effect. It’s gonna be pop-u-lar!
05. Big birthdays for big shoes
Two of the most seminal sneaker silhouettes of the past century are celebrating big birthdays this year: that’s the Nike Dunk (40!) and the Nike Air Max 95 (30!). As a result, 1980s/1990s kicks are poised to be paramount to the 2025 sneaker market, since the Swoosh et al will inevitably cash in on the nostalgia.
Expect the revival of original design elements, the return of beloved colourways and special-edition packaging commemorating the occasions. Fellow sneakerheads, we’ve got quite the year ahead.