Every year without fail the streetwear world picks one footwear silhouette and names it the ‘It’ shoe. This year it was the Adidas samba, before that it was Crocs and before that, it was the Nike Air Force 1. As we quickly approach a new year, the question remains, what new sneaker silhouette will take out the top spot in wardrobes of the most fashionable?
As someone who spends a lot of their time on social media and is in the know when it comes to fashion collaborations, here are my top seven condensers for next year's most notable sneaker style.
7 Trainers that will be everywhere in 2024:
PUMA - SPARCO Speedcat OG Driving Shoes
© Jose Perez/Bauer-GriffinI’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. This is the Adidas Samba's biggest competition right now. Donned already by model and muse Emily Ratajkowski, mark my words when I say it’s only a matter of time before the rest of fashion’s elite follow suit. The Puma Speedcat has all the best ingredients of a fashion sneaker. Sleek, wearable, comfortable and versatile, the Speedcat is one of those pairs you’ll find yourself reaching for day after day.
© BalenciagaEarlier this year Balenciaga showcased their newest chunky shoe silhouette on the catwalk of its Spring/Summer 2024 show. Known for creating outrageously oversized ready-to-wear and accessories, this debut came as no surprise to fashion phonetics. Love them or hate them Balenciaga has trumped the sneaker world before. Back in 2017, they made waves amongst hype beast fans everywhere with the release of their triple S sneaker, single-handedly making the Dad shoe trend fashionable. This leads me to believe that when this particular style is released it will be welcomed with open arms into the wardrobes of many.
MORE: Meet the hot new sneaker set to trump the Adidas Samba
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Asics x Cecile Bahnsen - GT-2160
© Cecile BahnsenThis isn’t the first collaboration between the two brands, but it most definitely is my favourite. This collab has proven just how necessary the merging between high fashion and casual style is, reinventing how we see sneakers.
Adidas - Handball Spezial Trainers
© ASOSPossibly a no-brainer, the Handball Spezial is the sister shoe to the famed Samba. Unlike the Samba the Handball Spezial is available in several bold colourways, with more and more frequent colourway drops. This style has all the same qualities as its sibling but is more unique.
UGG - Boot Guards
© Urban OutfittersNot technically a sneaker but a sneaker accessory if you will. I recently saw these IRL whilst out and about in Islington last week and I instantly thought two things. One, what are those? And two, these are about to blow up. This particular style was invented by Ugg to protect their famed slippers from snow, sleet and rain, but you can wear them over regular trainers. Perfect for those who can’t bear to scuff their limited editions or who have a thing about stepping in puddles.
Vans - Old Skool
© InstagramOk, hear me out on this one because I too am yet to be convinced. Last week style mogul, business buff and all-around fashion queen, Kim Kardashian, posted an image to her ‘gram that made me want to dry reach a little. Kim deviated away from her usual sneaker choice, opting for a pair of black Old Skool Vans. Her shoe of choice came as a surprise to many as the Old Skool sneaker was once (and still is) popular amongst teenage boys and skaters, leading me to wonder if it has a place in the fashion world come 2024.
Adidas - Ballet flats
© InstagramI can feel in my gut that Adidas is going to bring back a new rendition of their ballet flat silhouette in 2024. And if they don’t, then I will for sure be having words. The hybrid sneaker is bang on trend right now and I have it on good authority that Adidas know that their fans are requesting a remake as the official Adidas Instagram commented “We can dance too” on an image posted by a fan.
