5 Essential Sneakers For Your Springtime Refresh
We’re continuing to spruce up our wardrobes with a little spring cleaning as we enter into the second ‘phase’ of the year (seasonally speaking). As we continue to find ourselves out and in public on a more regular basis, it’s only natural that we place a more steadfast focus of our most primary form of transportation and the footwear we choose to cover them in.
Whether you're aiming to take a few more lunchtime strolls through your local parks and nature trails or just make more time for getting out and about in the town centre, it’s probably a good time to start thinking about a good old-fashioned sneaker refresh. Take a look at our editor’s latest recommendations for your latest wardrobe restoration.
Valentino Garavani Brown Netrunner Trainers
Valentino Garavani’s ‘Netrunner’ trainers are one of the latest additions to the maison’s increasingly impressive sneaker portfolio, in many ways presenting as a sort of spiritual successor to the ‘Rockrunner’ silhouette. Undeniably, there’s a lot of Rockrunner DNA running through the Netrunner, particularly with regard to the assortment of fabrics found in the upper and the iconic Rockstud placement at the heel. It really sets itself apart, however, with a decidedly more aerodynamic shape and pronounced sole unit that lend a more athletic appearance to the finished design and encourage you to go that little bit further for a little bit longer on your travels.
Christian Louboutin Rantulow Grey & Champagne Trainers
Here’s a dead cert for a more-than-capable spring sneaker. Christian Louboutin’s Rantulow Grey & Champagne Trainer is fully equipped for a seamless transition to warmer climates, with breathable mesh upper panels and a lightly-toned colour palette that evoke the free-spirited melancholy of the spring and summer months. With such an easy-going and unassuming profile, it really lends itself to all manner of outfit ensembles, so don’t be afraid to style it with everything from skinny jeans to summery bermuda shorts.
Shop the Christian Louboutin collection
Balenciaga White & Orange Runner Trainers
The vibrant splashes of fluorescent orange in our featured Balenciaga White & Orange Runner Trainer really help it take on a life of its own, further enhancing an already wildly popular silhouette from the Parisian label’s legendary sneaker archive. We’re really embracing the uplifting power of colour this spring, so this recent arrival to our SS23 showcase couldn't really have come at a much better time. With a robust, energy-generating sole unit and airt nylon body panels, Balenciaga’s runner also comes supercharged for all of your springtime workouts.
Shop the Balenciaga collection
Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh Out Of Office Red & Black Trainers
We reckon it’s safe to assume that ‘out of office’ is primarily where you’ll want to be once the warmer weather arrives this year. The aptly named ‘Out Of Office’ sneakers couldn’t be better placed, then, for becoming your downtime shoes of choice - particularly this featured Red & Black iteration which is imbued with all the attitude and flair of a quintessential Off-White sneaker. Go all in with loud graphic tees and statement jackets to match.
Shop the Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh collection
Amiri Bone Runner Baby Blue Trainers
Has there ever been a more definitive springtime colourway than the classic baby blue showcased so excellently in Amiri’s featured Bone Runner trainers? It might not be the type of colourway you’d immediately associate with the label either, with so much of Mike’s design inspiration coming from the offshoots of rock n’ roll culture (which is much more synonymous with blacks and reds than it is pinks and baby blues!). For our money, though, it represents a refreshing change of pace, particularly in the run-up to the spring. If you’re still clambering for that definite ‘Amiri’ experience, however, the chilling skeletal appliques do more than enough to provide that unique edge…