Five years ago, you wouldn’t have heard 'trainers’ and ‘Balenciaga’ in the same sentence. But, now we’re living in the age of the sneaker (as the majority of the world refers to them) and every designer thinking about its bottom line is cashing in on what has been officially deemed the fastest growing segment in the fashion market.
Once upon a time, the most frivolous thing you could buy would be a pair of bright white plimsolls. But now Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Giuseppe Zanotti and countless other luxury labels are retailing bewilderingly blingy, conversation-starting trainers that sell for hundreds and hundreds of pounds. And, yet if you tried to do a HIIT class in them you'd likely end up with a twisted ankle.
Just this week, Shrimps announced that like JW Anderson and Commes Des Garcons, it was collaborating with Converse. In the same year when Emma Thompson accepted her damehood in Stella McCartney trainers and Meghan Markle caused a run on Veja sneakers, Gucci dropped their Flashtreks that come wrapped in crystal straps and Louis Vuitton debuted the Archlights, which are accented with LV monogram. Designers have placed themselves in direct competition with sportswear titans like Nike, Reebok and adidas. Their point of difference? Forget function and focus on form - the more striking and the less engineered for running the better.
Global sales of non-athletic trainers rose by 10 per cent in 2017 (to $3.98 billion), outperforming handbags by 7 per cent, according to Consultancy Bain & Co. In 2018 sales continued to increase - by 17 per cent. Meanwhile, sales of heels dropped by 11 per cent.
The consumer is changing. Look around your office, how many women are wearing heels? How many men are wearing suits? Broadly speaking the casualisation of dress codes coincides with the drive for comfort and the longevity of the athleisure trend. Heels and Hermes Birkins will always have their appeal, but perhaps the ‘It’ item will be the trainer from now on.