LUXURY SNEAKERS!
Nowadays, sneakers have found their way into every wardrobe and no outfit is complete without a matching pair. What was once an underground art mastered only by a devoted few is now being invaded by a fresh batch of customers eager to spend what it takes to be cool. After crossing over from the sportswear world to mainstream fashion, sneakers are now evolving within this new environment, climbing the fashion hierarchy and inching closer to the coveted ‘luxury item’ status. The way sneakers are considered a part of fashion has evolved much as it did with denim some years ago.
Indeed, haute couture giants such as Prada, Dior, Givenchy, Margiela, Hermes and Vuitton have all released sneakers, giving the wardrobe staple their own signature style. And with time, designer sneakers have become a regular sight on catwalks worldwide taking the spotlight off the more traditional pumps and derbies.
Spearheaded by a new generation of stylists who were brought up on nineties sportswear and were influenced by the modern street-culture in Tokyo, NY and HK, this new trend is a direct answer to the desires expressed by a new breed of consumer with hybrid tastes – luxury, street-culture and mass-market – picking and choosing to get the best from all worlds.
As shown time and time again, the basic rules found behind every successful sneaker are time and history. An immortal sneaker is always related either to sport or to one particular famous and influential person. Stan Smiths, Clydes, Air Force Ones, the entire Air Max range and obviously Air Jordans are all examples of a successful recipe that is rewarded with a shelf life of decades. Therefore, it’s extremely difficult to find a place for newcomers amongst these giants who have cult followings and the benefit of years of know-how, as well as the legitimacy of sport on their side.
Some luxury brands (Lanvin, Vuitton, Dior) have grasped the basic ins-and-outs of the athletic game by presenting only a select number of models, changing only colour and materials from one season to another. Pretty much the same process they use for their hand bags... simple but psychologically effective. In the past, brands such as Prada paved the way but of late, Pierre Hardy, whose model has become a new standard in just a few short seasons, is the current brand du jour.
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