The hottest kicks of the moment, and you’ll get away with wearing them forever
Words: Jabulile Dlamini-Qwesha | Photography: Bevan Davis | Styling: Akim Jardine
Sneakers are quite possibly the most popular type of footwear right now - and for good reason. That fact has allowed there to be a large selection of brands, styles, and colours to buy and be fashionable in, but keeping up with every trendy drop might be tricky... not to mention expensive.
Sneakers brands are always on the next wave, in terms of innovation, so new designs come out all the time. Every brand wants their range to be the most unique and best performing on the market. And with that said, what’s topping the charts today might be completely off beat in a few years. So, you want your collection to have a good balance.
Trends can change often, but some do stand the test of time. These are updated classic sneakers that are currently having a stylish moment that might last a little longer than your average fad.
Since one of Nike’s biggest sneaker collabs of 2017, with “The Ten”, the Air Force 1 sneaker has seen a spike in popularity. Originally dropping as a premier basketball sneaker in ‘82, this silhouette has come in many editions over the years, but its the white colour that remains the chart topping classic.
Nothing has been the same on the women's sneakers scene, since Rihanna dropped the platform Creepers in collaboration with PUMA. Bringing through a mesh up of the old school punk era and an OG basketball silhouette, the sportswear brand also gave us the basket platform which has become a favourite alternative to the loved Creeper.
The Vans OG slip-on shape is the "it" sneaker that isn't quite the "it" sneaker. It's slightly retro, highly skater and the checkered print is bang on beat with the collegiate cool wave of dressing.
The nostalgic sneaker trend of 2018, Converse chuck taylors have come back in a major way. From the Pride Month collection in collaboration with Miley Cyrus, the utility updates its seen (touching on the crazed gorpcore trend), to the new pops of pigment, it is the ultimate classic to wear right now.
Engaging both the sneaker head and sports enthusiast, adidas' deerupt is probably one of the most hyped up sneaker drops of the year. It's a combination of a minimalism, athleisure and an 80's aesthetic that provides comfort and makes a statement.