Ballet sneakers are everywhere. “Sneakerina” – those slightly odd-looking hybrid shoes have bedecked the feet of every It-girl. Indeed, the so-called “sneakerfication” of shoes is a movement that we’ve been documenting for several years. As Daniel Rodgers wrote in 2024, “the sneaker-fied shoe is simply what happens when the convergent forces of meme culture and streetwear combine, producing silhouettes that simultaneously repel and draw people in.”
Of course, the ballet pump was an obvious target to be sneaker-fied, given the flat shoe revival we’ve seen in recent years. Mutant trainers are all about contrast, and there’s an unlikely synergy between merging the ergonomic, technical features you’d find on a performance sneaker with ribbons, Mary-Jane straps and graceful, rounded toes associated with ballerinas.
Like many once-divisive footwear trends, the sneakerina followed a familiar path to mainstream acceptance. There was the consistent Chloë Sevigny endorsement (always a trend predictor), runway appearances at cult cool-girl brands like Cecilie Bahnsen, Wales Bonner, Simone Rocha and Miu Miu, all of which have helped build a case for the ballerina-sneaker hybrid. Then came a series of buzzy collaborations targeted to appeal to both fashion collectors and sneakerheads alike (see the Salomon and MM6 Maison Margiela Mary-Jane style). A year on, and the sneakerina remains at the forefront of fashion’s imagination with new iterations from brands across the board landing just in time for summer.
“For me, the perfect sneakerina, and the styles I’ve dipped my toe into (pardon the pun) recently, either lean more towards the sneaker or ballerina category and don’t sit too much in between,” says Vogue’s Mia Portet. “My Wales Bonner pair, for example, strike the perfect balance, with a sturdy gum sole and familiar sneaker shape, with a hint of ballerina in the form of a Mary-Jane style Velcro strap for that all-important twist. On the flipside, styles like Puma’s Speedcat ballerinas feature a light pink satin finish, leaning more into ballet-core than your typical sneakerina.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: vogue.in
