Sneaker culture has well and truly evolved. Stemming from sporting giants Nike and Adidas as well as underground street culture, the humble shoe hit mainstream traffic after big name collaborators and luxury designers entered the market in recent years. Now, despite experts speculating the big bang of the sneaker bubble, the Fall/Winter 2019 runway is proving that its popularity isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

The last six weeks has seen brands from across the globe fleet to Fashion Week to present its latest Fall/Winter 2019 collections. Aside from the flurry of reimagined sportswear and avant garde style cues that dominated the runway, eyes were narrowed to the floor for an insight into what footwear will bring in 2019. Sneakers we aplenty but unlike the ’80s style-influx 2018 saw, innovative silhouettes were the main event. And if we learnt anything from the runway, it is the trends we’re likely to see dominate the year.

tEETHED SOLEs

The work boot has been reimagined. Drawing from industrial looks and street-ready quality, the runway was teeming with chunky soles but not as we know it. Different to the OTT foam sole seen in much of 2018, this year is all about detail and whole new kind of ‘ugly’. Still drawing inspiration from the oversized sneaker, the Prada rendition seen at Milan Fashion Week takes on a futuristic approach we’re ready to jump on.

Credit: Prada

oxford hybrid

Classics are heading to the street in 2019 with a new and major shakeup occurring in formal dressing, and who better to lead the charge than Hermès? Heading to Paris Fashion Week this season, the French fashion house proved that timeless luxury will never go out of style but with the disruption of an entire industry, it was forced to shake things up a little bit – namely, with its oxford hybrid. An expertly crafted twist between an oxford, boot and sneaker, something tells us that formalwear will be more comfortable than ever.

Credit: Hermès

old-school skate shoes

Ok, so this isn’t new nor leaving the sphere anytime – but you know what they say, “a legend never really dies”. Born in the hip-hop era the old-school skate shoe is still loved by many, but this season has received the luxury treatment at Louis Vuitton. Amongst Michael Jackson-inspired designs, sneakers were casual and undone, reminiscent to that of the Nike Air Force 1.

Credit: Instagram @louisvuitton

the moonboot

A silhouette we didn’t see coming this season, or at all for that matter was the real-world iteration of the moonboot. Ushered into the luxury world, the futuristic style – courtesy of Acne Studios – combines a platform teethed sole with a leather hightop, gumboot-esque if you will. While the Acne rendition is not for everyone, no doubt we will see played-down versions in the months to come.

Credit: NowFashion

Trail blazers

Initially introduced by Gucci Spring/Summer 2019, hiking-inspired sneakers have now gained traction (mind the pun) and it was Samuel Ross of A-Cold-Wall* who brought it back to the runway for Fall/Winter 2019 in collaboration with Nike. Characterised by a heavy duty sole, technical upper and cord laces, sneakers made for the wilderness have arrived to the street.

Credit: NowFashion