WE TELL ABOUT TRENDS FROM THE PODIUM, which you can adapt to your wardrobe for the next six months. Fashionable world media keep repeating: the main shoes of the past year are "ugly" or "daddy's" sneakers. It seems that the experts are right: models for $ 800 are sold out in a matter of days, and there are queues for high-profile releases for several days. Whether you like it or not, such shoes will definitely flicker in 2018 as well. We figure out which models you should pay attention to and what to wear them with.
How it all started
It's hard to imagine, but sneakers began to be worn in everyday life relatively recently; before that, the models were developed exclusively for sports. Everything changed in the 80s: it was then that basketball players like Michael Jordan and Karim Abdul-Jabbar became real pop stars, thanks to them sports took to the streets, and special sneakers began to be worn not only on the court or in the yard during the game, but also just like that … The market responded with massive Brooks, Reebok and Nike models, which rappers have armed themselves with over time.
Today's "ugly" sneakers are reminiscent of the beloved models of childhood and adolescence from the 90s - with thick and high soles, "bloated" designs, strange details and bright colors. Especially cool sneakers were those with illumination, which could be found at Skechers (rare used models from the 90s are still found on the Internet) or with transparent inserts. You can always see looks with unusual shoes, baggy jeans and lurex crop tops in the clips of pop and r'n'b singers: for example, in the video “Heartbreaker”, girlfriends of Mariah Carey choose massive sneakers instead of heels.
Any schoolgirl dreamed of models on the platform: perhaps thanks to clips and photographs of the Spice Girls, who danced in boots with ten centimeter soles. While not all of the members chose these shoes, the huge Buffalo platforms were popularized by the legendary girl group.
How "ugly" sneakers are back in fashion
In 2013, Raf Simons began a partnership with adidas, releasing an unusual sneaker: from a mesh of different colors, with a convex sole and asymmetrical details. The Ozweego was so pretentious that for the first time in a long time it shattered the hegemony of laconic design. The novelty was appreciated by musicians who already loved to shock the audience: Kanye West, A $ AP Rocky and Big Sean immediately became the owners of the sneakers.
For the boom of "ugly" sneakers, the audience was prepared not only by Ozweego, but also by the massive Nike Air Max 95 and 97, reminiscent of astronaut shoes - metallic colors only added futurism to the models.
By 2017, only a couple of companies had to release "unusual" sneakers to finally set the trend.
The Balenciaga Triple S are the most notable: due to the design (tiered ribbed sole and multicolored mesh), the high price of $ 850 and celebrity fans - including models Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin and Elsa Hosk. Now the production of this pair is a real gold mine of the brand; the sneakers are planned to be reissued in different versions for at least two more seasons. The brand closely monitors the points of sale and the list of buyers - hence the flair of exclusivity and excitement among resellers.
Kanye West's sneakers also caused a stir: rapper and TV star Kim Kardashian started wearing Yeezy Boost 700s even before the start of sales; the latter, however, has not yet taken place - the brand only presented couples to selected fashion influencers around the world. The new model differs from previous releases at a price of $ 300, a very thick sole and asymmetrical details - that is, the same characteristic design.
The "ugly" sneakers of the luxury giants Prada and Gucci cannot be ignored either. If the first ones really look like the neat shoes of the future, then the second ones are made according to the canons of the genre - not without a noticeable logo. The first "budget" sneakers of this kind appeared, of course, in Zara: the company hastened to present a model that combines everything at once.
Other brands go even further and twist the symbolic utility of sneakers to the fullest. So, to the grotesque, "daddy" design, artificial "dirt" was added - now other new couples deliberately look as if they were worn for more than one season. The most striking release was the model from the Vetements and Reebok collaboration, which is now available for purchase at a discount.
What to wear with
For winter and off-season, "ugly" sneakers are ideal: they will replace the annoying heavy boots and fit perfectly into the look with a down jacket - both an oversized model and a fitted coat. You can follow the example of the Yeezy brand, in whose collections only muted, “dusty” colors are combined, or you can play on contrasts, choosing shoes and a jacket in bright colors or with a pattern. These sneakers pretend to be a basic item in the wardrobe, so you can combine them with an evening dress in sequins and with a tracksuit.
The release hype, sweatwear trend, and Yeezy's enduring success make it clear that athletic style will last a long time. For the summer, there is a reason to pick up solid leggings, a hoodie and a pair of space shoes. Fashion gets used to everything quickly, so with the arrival of warmth, these sneakers may well get rid of the label "ugly" - and become the most common.