Sofia Piza
Trainers have undeniably become a high-fashion item over the last few years. It seems every fashion brand has a sporty shoe collab these days (think Sandy Liang x Salomon, Miu Miu x New Balance, Loewe x On…need I continue), and it’s become a pretty saturated space.
Thankfully, the market appears to be moving away from over-hyped, limited-run drops and raffle draws. I’m all for a designer collab, but I have been wearing the same trainer styles since I was a teenager — like Vans Slip-On and Converse Chuck Taylors— and there’s a lot to be said for classic, staple styles that such brands have become known for.
It’s ironic that as I write this, my husband has banned me from buying any more trainers. My own wardrobe is groaning with shoe boxes of styles in every colour imaginable. But I’m here to put my obsessive shopping skills to good use, and share the best styles to buy for 2025.
As I’ve mentioned, you’ll find some designer collabs as well as timeless classics on this list. Brands reviving retro styles from their archives continue to prove popular — the Puma Speedcat, adidas SL 72 and Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 are all major players in this regard.
But there are some newcomers to contend with. This year, the ballerina-trainer hybrid shoe has been everywhere (largely thanks to Charli XCX and Bella Hadid’s repeated wearing of the Vivaia Satin Sneakerina), and I strongly believe this trend will continue to reign supreme throughout summer 2025.
The boxing boot was also seen in variations across the spring/summer 2025 runways, most notably at Dior’s sports-inspired show. Expect these to take off in a big way — I’m obsessed with adidas’s cow-print pair below.
I’m a firm believer that trainers can be worn with anything — I grew up in the era of Lily Allen’s uniform of ballgowns and Nike Air Maxs after all. My top styling tip is not think about it too much — don’t try and look too put together. Lean into the casual-cool.
The best trainers to buy now:
