Well, I can honestly say I didn’t see this one coming. Fashion has had a fixation on “ugly” sneakers—nay, “ugly” shoes in general—for quite some time now, so I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to unusual footwear. It turns out I was wrong because there’s officially a new sneaker trend in town and it’s, how shall I say, unexpected. The trend in question? Performance sneakers. To be more specific, pairs made for hiking, trail running, and those that generally have a tech element to them for outdoorsy activities. Call it part of the “gorpcore” aesthetic, but fashion is finally embracing the ultra-practical, surprisingly, we’re here for it.
Like many emerging trends, Bella Hadid is a big champion of this one. In fact, she’s worn her pair of Salomon XT-6 sneakers so frequently that the style is continually sold-out in multiple colors, but she’s not the only celeb backing the look. Hailey Bieber has been wearing Balenciaga’s chunky runners with her coolest oversize ‘fits and even platform-obsessed Dua Lipa can be caught trading in her heels for a pair.
Whether or not you get your hands on the buzzy Salomons or the designer-label runners matters not when O.G. runners from brands like Asics and Hoka are just as relevant and much more wallet-friendly. Continue on to shop all the coolest performance sneakers defining the trend and glean some styling inspo along the way.
On Bella Hadid: Nike top; Dior Your Dior 2 Sunglasses ($174); Mondo Mondo Lover Earrings ($245); Salomon S/Lab XT-4 Advanced Sneakers ($320) . Hadid has been wearing her Salomon sneakers on repeat since last fall and she’s singlehandedly put the popular XT-6 style on our radars.
On Hailey Bieber: The Row trousers;Balenciaga Runner Sneakers ($1150) and bag. Hadid isn’t the only celeb getting behind this sneaker trend—Hailey Bieber is also a fan. Bieber added Balenciaga’s chunky runners to her wardrobe and continues to style them in fresh ways like the combination of relaxed trousers anda. shearling jacket here.
While it’s still bubbling Stateside, this trend has really taken off over in Stockholm. Scandi girls are known for their eclectic streetwear vibe so it’s no surprise why trail runners are gaining steam there. Stylist and Danish It girl Emili Sindlev gave her Salomon’s a classic spin with a trench coat and beret.
Fashion girls are establishing this trend in non-athletic outfits, specifically. It’s all about the combination of the granola kicks with forward styling elements that veer away from the sneakers’ outdoorsy roots. Layered knitwear and a cool leather jacket do just that.
Early trend adopter and all-around style muse Dua Lipa gave her stamp of approval to the trend as well, styling a pair of chunky black sneakers with loose denim and a boxy blazer.
Traditional running sneakers are a sub-category within this overall vibe. Look for gel soles and metallic finishings like any of the Asics styles in this edit.
As we noted earlier, the key to wearing this trend is to offset the sneakers’ sporty nature with non-athletic styling. Here, relaxed tailoring and classic basics like a cable-knit sweater ensure the look is forward.
While relaxed trousers are the styling of choice for most fashion people, the trend looks especially cool with relaxed cargo pants.
Another spring 2022 trend they marry well with? Bold, saturated colors that pick up the tones of the sneaker themselves.
More proof that relaxed cargo pants and these sneakers is the unofficial uniform of fashion people everywhere.
Bungee cord-esque laces and small treaded soles are the key details to look out for when picking out a pair.
