Your Guide To The Year’s Biggest Sneaker Trends

We are all asking ourselves the same question as we approach 2021: Will we be drawn into World War III by then? How can we prevent the world from exploding into cinders? What’s going to be the next big thing in sneaker ?

We’re not qualified to answer these questions, as they are outside our expertise in menswear. We can answer the third question by looking into FashionBeans’ crystal ball, which we did for the first year.

Sneaker trends for the coming year include everything from haute-couture collaborations to revisiting 2000.

High-Fashion Hookups

Ten years ago, tall, thin and good-looking people who smoked tiny menthol cigarettes would have laughed you out of Paris for suggesting that Air Jordan and Christian Dior collaborate. But here we are. The Sacai x Nike LDWaffle, released in 2019, was arguably one of the most significant releases. Other high-fashion collabs, such as those from Adidas, Prada, and Air Dior, are also set to be released later this year.

The trend of haute-couture houses collaborating with sneaker companies is indicative of a larger sneaker movement. This is another step in the direction of streetwear being fashion’s new norm – something that has been happening for years.

For those who thought streetwear was a fad, this is proof that it has staying power.

More Gore

Menswear in 2019 and 2020 was dominated by function-driven fashion. technical outerwear was the most popular fabric on the runways. Pockets were everywhere, and Gore-Tex surpassed wool and Corduroy to become the hottest material. The outfits for an ice-climb in the Karakoram were never so stylish.

The performance fabrics did not stop at our ankles. AW19 saw a surge in Gore-Tex shoes, many of which were shockingly comfortable. The water-resistant versions of classic styles such as the Adidas Stan Smith, the Superstar, and the Nike Air Force One flew off the shelves, solving the age-old dilemma of what to wear when the weather turns bad.

As we enter the new year, expect to see this trend of practical sneakers continue.

Simple and Timeless

Minimalist Trainers will never go out-of-style. While chunky shapes and eye-catching colors are definitely in, nothing is as sharp as a guy with a pair of crisp sneakers.

In today’s shoe climate, minimalist trainers can be anything but simple. You’ll find high-quality leather, hand-stitched details, an assortment of easy-to match hues, and timeless designs that can be dressed up or down. Independent brands and major powerhouses have all produced their own versions of the timeless sneaker style. Expect to see more in the months ahead.

Textured trainers

Why stop at your feet when you can add texture to your entire wardrobe? Textured trainers have already made their way into menswear but are set to explode in 2021.

We’re loving the tactile fabrics that are taking over sneaker culture. If we were to bet, we would say that this trend began in 2018 with the release of the corduroy SeanWotherspoon Air Max 1 97. Since then, texture has been in a love affair with trainers that’s resulted some of the cutest little sneaker babies ever.

Things are about to get even hotter with the release of a new Wotherspoon collaboration in 2020.

Performance Runners

Performance running shoe is the latest in functional footwear that has been adopted by the coolest fashion crowd.

High-performance sneakers from Hoka, Nike, and Undercover Gyakusou have given your local running club a new street cred. They are colourful and high-performance, and they bite and bark as hard as possible. You’re not likely to run 150 miles in these shoes, but knowing that they are available is nice.

Mesh And Metallic

Wait long enough, and you’ll see that anything you could possibly imagine will be fashionable. Wraparound shades, anyone? Check. Sketchers? Check. Check. That’s another fat check in 2021.

These are running shoes in ’00s fashion, and thanks to companies like Shoebuya and Saucony, they’re back for the New Year. It’s what we call Dad Shoe 2.0. This is the natural evolution of last year’s sneaker trend. We’ll be seeing more of it in the next 12 months.

The Noughties Revival

In 2020, we will be reminded that the 20-year cycle clock still ticks with precision. As we move into the ’20s the focus is now on the millennium. The signs of this day were right in front us last year with the revival baggy jeans, and dangly belts.

Look at the recent resurgence in early 2000s styles such as Nike’s Shox, and shiny, shiny mesh gym shoes. Feeling old?

Sneaker Trends We Can See Through

But this sneaker development was a surprise to us. In 2018, the first glimpse of see-through shoes was Virgil Abloh ‘s version of the Converse All Star, and Nike’s React Element 87. These semi-transparent sneakers revealed to the world the taste of socks of the wearer.

At the time, you could have dismissed it as a gimmick. But now, we’re faced with an avalanche of see-through sneakers that are appearing every month.

If you’re going to participate in this trend, please, for the sake of God, wear some socks.