Sneaker culture has long been the province of men. Attend any sneaker conference or weekly store drop and you’ll notice the crowd is almost completely composed of young men. And while there is a huge number of devoted female sneakerheads out there – a market that has been valued at 79 billion dollars and growing – major sportswear brands have continued to underserve this consumer group for years. Whereas men have long enjoyed a diverse product offering, their female counterparts have often been left with hand-me-down versions of men’s products made in smaller sizes and released in more feminine colours. But a growing number of womenswear brands, that specialise in the feminine and whimsical are suddenly dipping their toes into the sneaker culture and squashing the “shrink it and pink it” design philosophy that has plagued the industry for years.
Over the past year, names like Simone Rocha, Cecilie Bahnsen and Kiko Kostadinov’s womenswear creative directors, Laura and Deanna Fanning have envisioned a completely new vision for sneakers that tap into the mentality of the modern female sneakerhead. Rocha for example added her trademark touch of romantic elegance by embellishing a pair of cream-coloured lambskin ballet pumps with glass pearls. These coquettish designs, chimed with this year’s #balletcore wave which saw Ballerina footwear options like Mary Janes, flats and pumps become a go-to style for many women. The Fanning twins Hybrid Ballerina Flats and Pink Ribbon Hybrid trainers at Kiko are a great example of how the trend further plays out in sneaker culture. The Smooth-grain leather shoes with self-tie fastening ankle straps are fused with sneaker sole technology to create an unexpected mix of romance and performance. It’s no surprise the trainers are the proverbial hotcakes of the sneaker world.
While these independent labels have successfully cracked the code with their own branded sneakers, others are collaborating with established sneaker brands as a way to bring their dreamy designs to life. Cecilie Bahnsen’s alignment with ASICS has been a huge hit. Pushing the boundaries between intricate couture detailing and technical function, the Copenhagen-based designer fuses her feminine DNA with ASIC’s technical expertise. The debut SS23 collection included seven collaborative sneakers including the ASICS GEL-1130 and GEL-1090, each of which was covered with cut-out applique flowers that added a soft meadow-like feel to the 90s runners.
“I’ve always been drawn to the juxtaposition between something that is hyper-feminine with elements that are more technical and sportive,” Bahnsen told Elle of her design process. She reveals that it was the style of the girls in her atelier and community that inspired the capsule, specifically, ”how they style the collection for everyday wear, often pairing a big poufy dress with denim and trainers.” The designer adds: “It felt like a natural decision to collaborate with ASICS, finding common ground between our two distinct universes. I want our community to feel the same wearing our ASICS sneakers as they would wearing one of our voluminous dresses—simultaneously elevated and effortless.”
Her intuition proved right with the sneakers getting swept up by her loyal fans and ASICS inviting Bahnsen back for the second season. This time round she re-interpreted the ASICS’ GT-2160 trainer, one in pink and white and the other in blue and silver — with both featuring straps across the laces detailed with elegant floral patterning, as typical of the brand handwriting.
Salomon is another label that has been opening the doors to its archive to a growing roster of female designers. From Comme des Garcons platform PULSAR ADVANCED to Sandy Liang’s playful pink XT-6 Expanse, and PHILEO’s most recent XT-SP, which is adorned with a soft and tactile knitted upper, these creative collaborations completely reimagine Salomon’s products outside of the gorpcore realm that helped popularise it within streetwear some six years ago.
Speaking on this new era of hyper-femme sneakers, Hannah de Silva, co-founder of Gorp Girls says, “I love that I am able to bring my sporty side out but in a more delicate and feminine way.” Though she typically wears traditional hiking styles when out on hikes with her community in the city she likes to style something totally different. “This sneaker trend allows me to blend the two worlds in a way that fits my personal style,” she says going on to reveal that a pair of Simone Rocha’s is her favourite pair right now. “I love to wear my Simone Rochas with tights or dainty socks to show off the cute cross ribbon detail. But on days I want to be super comfy, a pair of baggy jeans also work!”
Aside from the popular #balletcore crossover, what makes these sneaker drops so successful is the fact that most of them are exclusive to women’s sizing, with the exception of Cecille Bahnsen’s whose ASICS collab included a full size runs up to men’s. Titi Finlay, who is a creative for Nike and has been collecting sneakers for years explained to Pop Sugar that sizing has been one of the main issues where the industry lacks in terms of inclusivity. “To give some context on sizing, the majority of the time, the hype sneakers only release in a UK6 and upwards, so people with smaller feet (mostly women) miss out on so many great releases. There is sometimes a grade-school (GS) version released alongside the adults’ drop, but these usually have cheaper materials or altered design features. It’s frustrating not to be recognised in that sense, and I’d love to see brands work on releasing sneakers in a full-size run for all the drops.”
There are of course some brands that have been loyally serving female sneaker fanatics with the type of feminine-focused styles that are taking over right now. Comme des Garçons longstanding collaboration with Nike is perhaps the best example of this, serving up obscure styles like the Premier Heeled Lace-Up Sneakers in AW21 as well as the Iced-Out Nike Shox Models for SS19 which featured delicate frayed accents alongside statement metal chains.
Martine Rose is another Swoosh luminary who has consciously kept inclusivity at the heart of her seasonal collaborations. Crossing fashion with sport, the London-based designer perfectly merged classic formalwear with the renowned look of Nike Shox to create one of the best unisex sneakers of the past few years. To further emphasise the focus on women in football, Rose rolled out the collab during the UEFA Women’s EURO tournament. It’s a game-winning formula that’s as disruptive as it is revolutionary, which is why you can find pairs reselling for as much as Thanks $600.
Given the hype around the movement and a growing appetite for gender fluid fashion among young consumers, its natural these footwear styles are attracting a broader audience. “We’re excited to see where these trends head not only women’s sneaker fashion but also how guys take to it too,” says Jake, Footpatrol who note the shifting attitudes in the sneaker world from a boys club to something more inclusive. “Female collaborators are being welcomed by some of the biggest sportswear names and it’s opening up the space for females to be expressive and inclusive to everyone who loves sneakers,” they say. They highlight the recent Sandy Liang and PHILEO Salomon collaborations which both bring a softer, often pinkier tone to what is normally a rugged outdoor offering. “But that said, it hasn’t stopped the guys being drawn to it whereas before, things may have been a bit more gender specific.”
Customisation is another element that is helping bolster the trend on social media. The Queen of sneaker upgrades Caterina Mongillo aka metagirl.studio has been going viral on Tiktok and IG with her eye-catching shoe designs which include styles like New Balance 1906R’s adorned with pearls, lace and ruffle embellishments. Her innovative approach, infusing femininity into sneakers, forges connections with an entirely new audience within the sneaker realm. sofiamcoelho who is one of the lucky few to secure a pair of the one-of-one designs, plays into the romantic feel of the sneakers by styling them with feminine pairings like lace skirts and ruffle accent socks.
Speaking with Knockturnal on how her femininity inspires her designs Mongillo says “I adore sneakers, but I couldn’t find any that exuded the level of femininity I was looking for, so I created them.” Having started out as marketing manager at adidas, she was all too familiar with issues of gender inclusivity in the footwear industry. “Throughout my career in corporate settings, there were people advising against making them ‘too girly’ and discouraging the idea of “shrink it and pink it,” as if there was shame in producing hyper-feminine shoes,” she says going on to detail femininity has historically struggled to gain validation in a predominantly male-dominated sneaker world. “Personally, femininity holds great significance for me, and I express it through my designs. If we aim for a more equitable society, there should be no shame in incorporating hyper-feminine elements into footwear.”
Though Mongillo has been tapped by big name brands like adidas and Vans, she says there are a lot of creative constraints when it comes to working with corporations. “It’s important to respect a brand’s provided strategy framework; however, when there are too many constraints and rules, they hinder the authenticity of the creative process,” she says. “The key difference lies in the final outcome. I might have a well-thought-out concept, but even minor alterations during execution can dilute the core essence of the concept. Given the success of her designs and growing demand for female-first sneakers, she hopes that corporations will level the playing field when it comes gender disparity and stop shaming female designers who want to incorporate hyper-feminine elements into footwear.
