Trend alert: Goodbye chunky soles, sneakers are starting to slim down

Today, silhouettes like the Nike V2K Run or New Balance still appear on Dakota Johnson, Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Jennifer Lawrence. But their styling signals a shift. Instead of pairing bulk with heavy layers, they now temper it with pared-back athleisure: Lululemon leggings, classic sweatshirts, baseball caps. The once-dominant sneaker is being “domesticated” to suit a neat, practical lifestyle.

Meanwhile, slimmer sneakers have captured attention. Once dismissed as too safe, they are now centre stage, even on the red carpet. At the 2025 ESPY Awards, athlete Chari Hawkins chose oversized white sneakers beneath a layered evening gown, rather than heels like Gabby Thomas or Ilona Maher. The look hinted that not just fashion, but sneakers too, are becoming lighter.

The sneakerina, a hybrid of sneaker and ballerina, marks the retreat of chunky soles. Softer than trainers but sturdier than ballet flats, it offers femininity without losing sport’s dynamism.

Its rise coincides with ballet’s reinvention among the young. Beyond the stage, ballet has become an aesthetic code across social media, wardrobes and daily gestures. Hashtags such as #Sneakerina and #BalletSneakers now signal a fresh body language.

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Leading maisons have embraced the style. Louis Vuitton introduced rounded, dance-inspired designs with ready-to-wear. Loewe applied the Sacchetto technique for a soft, glove-like fit. Simone Rocha tied ribbons on sneakers in her Autumn/Winter 2025 show, evoking childhood memories in adult form. And in Paris, New York and Seoul, sneakerinas appear with pleated skirts, leggings and satin dresses, blending softness with a rebellious edge.

Unlike fleeting trends born on stage, the court sneaker has returned both familiar and fresh. First designed for agility on the tennis court, it entered urban life in the 60s and 70s and has remained a quiet classic.

Today’s versions retain the rounded toe, low cut and roomy fit, while upgrading with soft leather and pastel palettes. Easy to style with oversized suits, straight trousers or midi skirts, they embody understated cool whether at a semi-formal event or a city stroll. Their repeated appearance on Katie Holmes and Bella Hadid proves the court sneaker’s timeless pace.

The slim sneaker rises as a counterpoint to years of maximalism. With fashion leaning towards simplicity, footwear has taken a softer turn. Designs that nod to 1970s athletes such as Adidas Samba, Puma x Fenty Avanti and Prada Collapse are the new icons.

Long and lightly pointed, with a slim sole, they slip effortlessly into a suitcase yet refresh any outfit. Their greatest strength lies in versatility: normcore, quiet luxury, preppy or retro-sporty all find harmony with these shoes. It is little wonder that many are trading in chunky soles for slender lines.

The idea of boxing shoes stepping onto the street once seemed unlikely, but in the age of athleisure, no sport is off limits. Originating from combat, the design is reshaping fashion in 2025.

Defined by high tops, laced fronts and thin soles, they once embodied the boxer’s stance. Now, they anchor a new urban aesthetic that is bold, genderless and tinged with early-2000s nostalgia. Designers such as Stella McCartney with adidas and LaQuan Smith with Puma have pushed the boundaries, reimagining them in metallics, premium leathers and futuristic synthetics.

This is not a media-manufactured craze but one born from the fashion community itself. On TikTok, #BoxingShoes has surpassed 295 million views, with daring pairings: plaid blazers, straight-leg trousers, even pleated skirts.

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