Sneakers are becoming increasingly popular as footwear fashion trends combine athletic functionality with high-end style.
Athletic and contemporary wear have generally been at odds with one another. Athletic wear should be confined to the gym. Contemporary wear is for the weekend when you're out on the town. Both types of clothing have had their own realms and existed separately. Until now.
Designers are breaking down the barriers between athletic and contemporary wear, combining the two to be a seamless blend of style and function. This can be seen not only now in fall 2014, but for the foreseeable future, with 2015 looking like it will see a continuation of this emerging trend. Moreover, the trend doesn't seem to be confined to the apparel of one gender. Both men's and women's footwear fashion sense is growing to accommodate the sneaker, changing the world of fashion merchandising for years to come.
Fashion for women on the go
Sneakers worn outside the gym were once a cause for sideways glances at the daring women who wore them for something other than an exercise routine and, in some cases, for urban casual looks. But the world of high-end fashion is starting to take some cues from athletic wear in its designs. Forbes reported that luxury fashion retailers like Giuseppe Zanotti and Christian Louboutin are creating and selling stylized sneakers that have been worn by everyone from Cara Delevigne to Rihanna.
Even high-end fashion designers like Karl Lagerfield, who was never afraid to openly mock casual and athletic wear, is jumping on the trend, showing his latest creations at the Chanel Spring 2014 Couture show. Lagerfield himself even made an appearance at the show in the sneakers he designed.
"The bridge between contemporary and athletic lines is merging to appeal to the consumer," said Stephanie Kennedy, a buyer at Revolve Clothing.
The appeal stems from the fact that this type of footwear is comfortable and functional while still being aesthetically pleasing and trendy. The Chicago Tribune added that these looks allow women to dress down while they're dressed up. Forbes said that designers and retailers are meeting this demand by creating sneakers that are made out of high-quality materials such as suede and leather, with metallic accouterments, double soles and hidden wedges. Electric, neon and animal prints are also common style choices for these new athletic contemporary sneakers.
Men join in on the sneaker craze
The same dichotomy of athletic or contemporary footwear that existed for women held equally true for men. A man wanting to look well-dressed in a casual or professional setting would have been crazy to show up anywhere sporting a pair of sneakers. And just like for women's footwear, men are increasingly seeing sneakers as a viable option even in more dressed-up situations. Men, ranging from celebrities and the fashion elite to professionals, are becoming more comfortable being seen in sneakers.
The New York Times reported that the titans in the men's fashion world are leading the charge. Jian DeLeon, deputy style editor at Complex magazine, appeared at a ballet wearing a plaid suit and white sneakers from the Amsterdam brand ETQ.
"Just as luxe as a pair of oxfords, and are 10 times more comfortable," DeLeon told the Times.
Some commentators likened this top-down directed shift in men's fashion preferences to when men began to eschew hats back in the 1960's. John F. Kennedy was notoriously resistant to wearing a hat, despite that being the dominant fashion of the time. His choice influenced American men everywhere, and the '60s saw a precipitous decline in the wearing of hats, especially fedoras.
It is unclear when and where the trend toward sneakers began, but many industry watchers, having seen sneakers take hold in avenues from the runway to the boardroom, believe that they could be here to stay.
