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Neubauer Artists LLC
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Sneakerinas are still a front row favourite and for good reason
No one is wearing straight trainers anymore – no one, at least, in the fashion crowd. As hyperbolic as this might sound, it is not without its foundation. In the same way it suddenly became very dated to flash a bare ankle rather than a sock, trainers are simply not where style is at right now. It wasn’t that long ago that every fashion editor wore them, but at London Fashion Week, they were noticeably absent. In their place stand the sneakerina – a hybrid between the ballet pump and the sneaker.
The ballerina, or “barre”, trainer is not new; they first emerged in 2019 via Jonathan Anderson, who was then creative director at Loewe rather than Dior. Ballet runners, as he called them, paired “the construction of a ballet pump with the style of a 1970s track shoe”. In the years that followed, countless designers followed suit, including Simone Rocha, Miu Miu, Grace Wales Bonner, Louis Vuitton and Cecilie Bahnsen. The perfect blend of sporty and feminine, the high-street quickly delivered budget-friendly takes, with interpretations from H&M, adidas and Puma with its Speedcat Ballet Pump. This summer, Nike’s 90s-hailing Air Rift has become a regular sighting among the East London style set, and Vivaia’s viral version has been worn by Bella Hadid and Charlie XCX. When M&S launched its now sold-out suede version earlier this year, it fast became a top performer.
Their continued popularity indicates that sneakerinas have transitioned from fleeting trend to something more enduring. Their rise falls under the umbrella of two long-standing fashion looks – the ugly shoe and also balletcore. At Fashion Week, they were worn with unexpected outfits, specifically as a means of offsetting oversized tailoring. The barre trainer’s ongoing demand is representative of what shoppers want from their footwear right now – playful, personality-led styles that can be dressed up and down. This is a shoe that doesn’t take itself seriously.
