Starting as a simple functional item and quickly becoming a must-have fashion accessory, with the launch of designer sneakers this type of shoe has further transformed into an emblem of a definite status symbol.
Originally inspired by the active world and intended for the sporting environment, these models have managed to conquer high fashion, attracting more and more designers who are determined to design their own luxury version and parade it down the catwalk, with new collections going sold out before they even arrive in stores and thus becoming the unattainable desire of millions of people around the world.
This is why designer sneakers are not just simple shoes, but a phenomenon, a cult object, and an accessory that expresses prestige and exclusivity.
The origins of a new fashion myth
The trend of designer sneakers was born in Italy, thanks to the decision to clear them as an element of high fashionand to pair them, for the first time, with business looks and tuxedos. They were thus presented on the catwalk in the most prestigious fashion shows around the globe, an event that led many stars and celebrities to embrace this new trend. From that moment on, different Maisons of haute couture gave birth to luxury collections, rare sneakers, limited editions and special and very expensive models that became symbols of fashion excellence and unique pieces present in every collection.
The main features of designer sneakers
While sneakers, which celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2017, are now made in different styles, colors, shapes, and designs, they retain certain precise characteristics that were there in the first model and are also present in the signature collections.
First of all, there is the upper part of the shoe: tubular or rigid, it must ensure lightness and breathability and is made of high-quality materials (often even with multiple overlapping layers of different materials).
Then there is the shell, the part that wraps around the heel and is responsible for protecting the back of the foot and stabilizing the shoe. For this reason, it is made of plastic material or premium fabric.
The midsole is also crucial, as it cushions the foot and protects it from blows, as is the sole, which is strictly rubber to allow for silent walking, and which in designer sneakers is often made with cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to increase performance.
Iconic models
Among the iconic models when it comes to designer sneakers, which can be found from season to season, at the first place we definitely find the basketball-inspired high top shoes made throughout history in so many different colors and styles. In addition to being a true bestseller, they are also the model that sparked sneaker culture and one of the most revisited today by designers halfway around the world.
Another timeless type is sneakers with a typical retro appeal: born as tennis shoes and super-present in the wardrobes of famous musicians and celebrities of the 1990s, these models repurposed by major fashion houses have become icons of international style and to this day are considered fashionable, very elegant and definitely refined. One of the most chic and trendy proposals is the one in the “soccer” version first worn during the World Cup in Brazil in 1950: it immediately became the shoe everyone wanted to wear, and for the past few years, thanks to fashion trendsetters who have resumed sporting it, it represents one of the best urban signature sneakers for everyday life.
Then there are the everlasting models, such as the signature total white and total black sneakers: perfect for every look and every occasion, they are the favorite accessories of entrepreneurs, stars, celebrities and sportsmen, who always play it safe with these shoes. Finally, the Chuck sneakers (which first appeared around the 1970s), among the most iconic of all time, which Haute couture has restyled to give it new life, but without losing the original connotations that made it so famous.
Patterns change, new materials and processing techniques take over, new and increasingly innovative solutions are experimented with, and technology inside the shoe is implemented, but sneakers, from basic ones to those signed by the biggest names in fashion, always remain among the most desired and popular shoes in the world.