These Are The Summer Trainers Hitting The Streets in Paris
The French have long nailed the ballet flat. It's practically a prerequisite to being Parisian, right up there with the petulant pfffftttssss , strong coffee and that insouciant, undone-but-somehow-still-glamourous thing they do so well. So imagine my surprise when the streets–stretching from the Marais to the 11th arrondissement–weren't dotted with scruffed-up Chanel flats or ballerina-esque Margiela Tabis, but with trainers. Yes, trainers. Worn by all the coolest girls.
Now, I'm not a sneakerhead —and frankly, I've never been particularly enthralled by the whole athleisure culture that's swept through most urban cities. I always felt a quiet kinship with Parisians, who are almost aggressively indifferent to exercise and would sooner be caught dead than in yoga leggings or overt workout gear. So to see trainers worn so nonchalantly, looking pulled together and every bit haughty despite their casual ease, I was forced to reconsider my stance.
Alexa Chung in her Samba's breaking up a summer suit
Gigi Hadid rocking her Samba's and double denim
To be fair, these trainers were miles away from anything resembling performance wear—or those gargantuan Triple S Balenciaga sneakers that once dominated pop culture. A tricky silhouette that somehow made sense on spindly legs and required a certain froidure to pull off (you need real attitude to wear a shoe like that). Instead, the trainers spotted all over Paris were their polar opposites: anti-bulk, barely-there soles with a retro bent. Dries Van Noten's versions were a clear hit – suede, sorbet-coloured, and everywhere. Another strong contender was Margiela's newly launched nylon Sprinter, seen in soft pastel hues, as well as a snazzy acid green number that all but dominated. Wisps of sneakers, really. So compellingly chic, I was ready to throw all my trainer tribulations out the window. Fashion is fickle–and, seemingly, so am I.
Clearly, Parisians, and all the best-dressed celebrities with megawatt star power, agree. From the slim Adidas Samba to Prada's aptly named Collapse sneaker (also in nylon, a core trend), the trainer has become compact, agile, impossible to resist. Alexa Chung is a devoted Samba girl, wearing hers with effortless élan —a clever contrast to a summer suit and a ladylike Chanel bag. Gigi, on the other hand, rides the wave in all blue, fully committed to her double-denim moment. But one of the best looks clocked on the 3rd arrondissement was a nameless stranger in balloon cotton beige poplin-tie waist pants rolled up messily, a navy cardigan tied up and falling off the shoulder, its saving grace. And where you would have expected a sweet slip on sandal, was a nylon sneaker, obstructing what would otherwise have been a perfectly preppy ensemble. The styling nuance these summer sneakers bring isn't just about comfort, it's about intention. They either lighten up a serious outfit or add a knowing touch of irony: a retro trainer with a suit, a pair of shorts worn with a blazer, high socks and a suede sneaker. The trainer is no longer an afterthought—it's the outfit-maker. Comfort may be a given, but it's almost beside the point.
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These Are The Summer Trainers Hitting The Streets in Paris
The French have long nailed the ballet flat. It's practically a prerequisite to being Parisian, right up there with the petulant pfffftttssss , strong coffee and that insouciant, undone-but-somehow-still-glamourous thing they do so well. So imagine my surprise when the streets–stretching from the Marais to the 11th arrondissement–weren't dotted with scruffed-up Chanel flats or ballerina-esque Margiela Tabis, but with trainers. Yes, trainers. Worn by all the coolest girls. Now, I'm not a sneakerhead —and frankly, I've never been particularly enthralled by the whole athleisure culture that's swept through most urban cities. I always felt a quiet kinship with Parisians, who are almost aggressively indifferent to exercise and would sooner be caught dead than in yoga leggings or overt workout gear. So to see trainers worn so nonchalantly, looking pulled together and every bit haughty despite their casual ease, I was forced to reconsider my stance. Alexa Chung in her Samba's breaking up a summer suit Gigi Hadid rocking her Samba's and double denim To be fair, these trainers were miles away from anything resembling performance wear—or those gargantuan Triple S Balenciaga sneakers that once dominated pop culture. A tricky silhouette that somehow made sense on spindly legs and required a certain froidure to pull off (you need real attitude to wear a shoe like that). Instead, the trainers spotted all over Paris were their polar opposites: anti-bulk, barely-there soles with a retro bent. Dries Van Noten's versions were a clear hit – suede, sorbet-coloured, and everywhere. Another strong contender was Margiela's newly launched nylon Sprinter, seen in soft pastel hues, as well as a snazzy acid green number that all but dominated. Wisps of sneakers, really. So compellingly chic, I was ready to throw all my trainer tribulations out the window. Fashion is fickle–and, seemingly, so am I. Clearly, Parisians, and all the best-dressed celebrities with megawatt star power, agree. From the slim Adidas Samba to Prada's aptly named Collapse sneaker (also in nylon, a core trend), the trainer has become compact, agile, impossible to resist. Alexa Chung is a devoted Samba girl, wearing hers with effortless élan —a clever contrast to a summer suit and a ladylike Chanel bag. Gigi, on the other hand, rides the wave in all blue, fully committed to her double-denim moment. But one of the best looks clocked on the 3rd arrondissement was a nameless stranger in balloon cotton beige poplin-tie waist pants rolled up messily, a navy cardigan tied up and falling off the shoulder, its saving grace. And where you would have expected a sweet slip on sandal, was a nylon sneaker, obstructing what would otherwise have been a perfectly preppy ensemble. The styling nuance these summer sneakers bring isn't just about comfort, it's about intention. They either lighten up a serious outfit or add a knowing touch of irony: a retro trainer with a suit, a pair of shorts worn with a blazer, high socks and a suede sneaker. The trainer is no longer an afterthought—it's the outfit-maker. Comfort may be a given, but it's almost beside the point.
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Most people who live in a major city think theirs is the coolest. Londoners swear by London. Berliners swear by Berlin. New Yorkers stand by the Big Apple, etc, etc. I'm in the first camp, of course – London has its own extra special style. But I do have to say, those Parisians are onto something, too. Often understated and artfully undone, Parisian style tends to be subtle yet considered. It's no wonder that literally everyone wants to dress like a French girl these days, even if they are from the home counties. Which brings me to a recent – and very brief – trip I took to Paris this week, during which I spent some time people watching from various cafes around town (as is my right, when in Paris), while drinking back-to-back espressos. There were obviously a lot of impeccable jeans, a lot of brown leather loafers. But also, one pair of trainers kept popping up in a way that was hard to ignore: the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s, in white and a long time, the bright yellow Mexico 66s were the trainers to cop. This is partly because they're the trainers Uma Thurman wears in Kill Bill – obviously – and partly because of models like Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber helping to usher in a new relevance. In Paris, though, it was the white colourway I was seeing most often. Usually the white and black pair, but more than once the all-white version. This particular colourway being so popular in Paris right now makes sense – while the mustard Mexico 66s are bold and statement-y, the white version give off a sense of quiet cool. Paired with some blue denim and a white tee in the summertime? Très beau . We're probably going to be seeing a lot more Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s out in the wild more generally – not just in Paris. Over the past 18 months or so, the Japanese brand has opened 28 stores across the world, from Shanghai to Barcelona and London. Its first ever flagship store, though? Well, that was in Paris of course – way back in 2002. And Parisians have been stepping out in these cute and classic little sneakers ever since. Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66, AED743 Article originally published on British Vogue
