What started as a rumor grew into a furor and, as is often the case with things that are repeated often, eventually became accepted as a universal truth.
For the past few years, conversations about urban fashion have centered around whether we can definitively declare the end of sneaker culture, a trend that has long placed athletic footwear at the center of everything, making them a status symbol and an object of speculation in a resale market that has grown into a global monster.
Earlier this year, Shawn Stussy, an urban fashion icon and founder of the Stussy brand, declared the death of sneakers emphatically. His logic was simple: if someone like Donald Trump can sell limited edition sneakers, then the culture Stussy created already embodies the polar opposite of its origins. The question then in urban fashion was clear: what next?
To understand why sneaker culture is said to be dead, we need to go back a little, from 2012 to 2022. Over the last decade, sneakers have become more than just an icon of some urban subcultures. The rise in limited editions and collaborations (often with luxury brands) has made sneakers a central element of clothing for people of all backgrounds and income levels. In other words, they have gone mainstream. However, once the bubble burst, in 2023 major sports brands such as Nike and Adidas saw their sneaker sales growth stagnate for the first time in years. The exodus of streetwear icons such as Kanye West also exacerbated the situation. This led Adidas to cut ties with the artist, but not with his Yeezy brand, which continues to be on the market.
But some experts argue that it’s not just oversupply and an audience that’s grown disinterested in the origins of sneakers that’s killed sneaker culture. Matt Welty, a journalist for Complex magazine and host of a podcast about sneakers, recently suggested another reason: an aging audience. “What if I told you that your lack of enthusiasm isn’t a problem with sneakers, but with you? And it’s probably because you’re getting older,” Welty wrote. His argument is that it’s not the end of sneakers, because, as he asks, “What are you going to do, walk around barefoot?”
The world beyond sneakers
In fact, the fatigue of wearing the most luxurious shoes has led many consumers to stop following the latest trends in the market. Designers and fashion companies associated with streetwear have long been exploring the potential of footwear beyond the dictatorship of sneakers. Earlier this year, New Balance unveiled a new model in collaboration with Japanese designer Junya Watanabe, a sneaker-moccasin hybrid. This officially kicked off the exploration of new ways to dress feet in urban culture, and in the process, allowed traditional designs to make their way into the urban world.
“For example, wearing loafers with track pants is now completely acceptable and doesn’t make you look like you left your sneakers for gym class,” Mr Porter style director Ollie Arnold explained to Highsnobiety, one of the most followed streetwear publications. “To me, loafers are like the original sneaker – they’re just as comfortable and stylish.”
This is not the only case: Reimagine Studio has recently been gaining attention with its hybrids between sneakers and classic work boots, slightly pushing the boundaries of what is “comfortable”. Other brands with roots in streetwear culture, such as Aimé Leon Doré and Noah, have long been betting on incorporating loafers and brogues into their marketing proposition. This preppy-to-urban shift has already been adopted in the past by brands such as Ralph Lauren.
This openness to reviving traditional footwear models is also fuelled by a generation’s tastes that are not confined to the stereotypes of previous generations. Just like Gen Z’s chinos, which they have adopted instead of jeans, footwear is also looking back without preconceptions. As the late Fraser Moss of British company YMC put it: “Their parents are wearing trainers, so their kids are rebelling by dressing like their dads used to wear. It’s a rebellion against universality.”
This is one reason why men’s fashion websites and magazines have begun showcasing styles that combine sportswear with loafers, derby shoes, brogues, and monk straps, which previous generations would have considered icons of decidedly antiquated fashion. Indeed, in a post-sneaker world, what’s old is new. Or, as Moss sums it up, “the normal has become subversive.”
To read more English news from the EL PAÍS USA edition, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
