The Biggest Trend In Sneakers Is Ugly

Ten years ago, the menswear world was enamored by a new wave of sneakers that were starkly minimal. Ushered in largely by the timeless, quality designs of Common Projects, the trend hit critical mass in 2014 when Adidas re-launched the Stan Smith, resulting in everyone from high fashion designers to frat bros to scoop up a pair. But the proverbial pendulum is now swinging back in the other direction. With all things ’90s currently raging back into style, from Nautica jackets and Champion hoodies to dad hats and jeans, ’90s era running style are inspiring a new wave of colorful, chunky, and in some cases flat-out gaudy footwear options. The hottest brands in fashion all seem to be moving in this direction. Last month, Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 5 show didn’t just see new clothes, but the Yeezy Runner—a style potentially inspired by the 1998 Adidas EQT Solution. Additionally, Adidas recently re-released the Raf Simons Ozweego 2, while the Reebok InstaPump Fury has become a symbol of cool. But this is a trend that’s showing up in both high-fashion and mass market labels, from Balenciaga, Lanvin, and Givenchy to Nike, New Balance and Diadora. Read more at GQ.