‘The 990 series is a wink and a nod within the sneaker or fashion community that you know what it stands for,’ says New Balance’s Brad Lacey.
Photograph: Christian Vierig/Getty Images
They say you can judge a person by their shoes. And more often than not these days, those shoes are probably trainers.
It’s fair to say that trainers have now fully transcended the sports track to become a fashion essential – as likely to be worn by a style blogger as they are by a software developer. They’ve become acceptable attire in offices and cocktail bars, and the newest indicator of taste and personal identity.
Designers have always looked to youth culture for inspiration, but it is the casualisation of the modern workplace over the years that has helped propel the trainer into the fashion mainstream.
Of course, trainers have always held a special place in the hearts of streetwear enthusiasts, and hypebeasts will happily camp out overnight and pay three-figures or more for limited-edition releases and super-rare classics – but it’s taken some time for those at the top of the high fashion tree to get on board.
“When Raf Simons debuted his chunky Ozweego sneaker in 2013, which featured unexpected combinations of colours and fabrics, the fashion world was divided,” says Christopher Morency, editor-at-large at Highsnobiety. “Not everyone understood the potential of the aesthetic.”
Ultimately, those early adopters were vindicated. Other designers quickly followed Simons’s lead, most notably Balenciaga artistic director Demna Gvasalia, who generated a whole new level of hype when he put the £645 Triple S “dad sneakers” on the catwalk in 2017.
Two years on, the trainer has become an answer to the “it” bag for the millennial and Gen Z generations, says Morency. “It appeals to a wide range of consumers who don’t want to stray too far from the pack, yet seek individuality,” he explains.
They’ve become valuable, too, says Fanny Moizant, president and co-founder of designer fashion re-commerce site Vestiaire Collective. “Four years ago, we wouldn’t really see many trainers reselling on Vestiaire Collective,” she says. “It’s a completely different story today: many trainers will retain a high percentage of their value if they are in good condition and sometimes sell for above the original retail price, depending on the style.”
As high street copies have flooded the market, demand for luxury brands’ chunky sneakers is beginning to fade. Instead, it is design classics from heritage sportswear brands that are proving to have real staying power as a day-to-day wardrobe staple.
The New Balance 99X series, first created in 1982, is one such shoe. Developed for runners, it was the first $100 (equivalent to £50 at the time) sneaker and stood out thanks to its muted, predominantly grey colour palette, which was unusual at the time. This year, the company launched the eighth official iteration of the shoe, the 990v5, which pays careful homage to the original. “Each new model is built on the best aspects of the previous one, instead of just starting over from scratch,” explains Brad Lacey, global design director for Lifestyle Footwear at New Balance. “The grey colour and premium materials have always been a constant. As has the fact that we’ve continued making the shoe in our US factories for the entire series. If you look back at that original 990 design, you can still trace a lot of the elements that make up the design of the 990v5.”
Lacey believes that it is this approach that has made the 99X a modern classic. “I think people who work in fashion or who follow it also love rebelling against it,” he says. “As fashion constantly changes every season and brands are chasing the latest trend, what starts to become really appealing are things that have stood the test of time.”
New York-based influencer and DJ Isaac Hindin-Miller agrees: “[New Balance trainers] are always cool and will continue to be cool long after everyone cringes at the sight of a pair of ugly sneakers by any of the European luxury houses that are designing them.”
And, yes, like all footwear, trainers can speak volumes about the wearer’s identity. Those who take fashion seriously might invest in Triple S or Ozweego kicks, while nostalgic types will be reliving the nineties in Buffalo platforms. As for New Balance, they make a more subtle statement: “The 99X series stands for high quality and performance,” says Lacey. “But it also established an iconic look that became synonymous with our brand. It’s kind of a wink and a nod within the sneaker or fashion community that you know what it stands for.”
New Balance’s 990v5 are available at the New Balance London flagship store or newbalance.co.uk
