With London, New York and Milan Fashion Weeks out of the way, only the French capital was left to serve as a platform for designer brands to showcase their latest releases. Having come and gone in a heartbeat, it’s now time for us to take a look at the most memorable and newsworthy sneakers that made their debut on the runway.
As per current trends, sneakers were a major focal point at this Paris Fashion Week. Commanding just as much attention as the garments they were paired with, it’s clear that casual footwear is still a hot commodity in the designer world. The only downside is that we now have more silhouettes, colorways and collaborations to choose from than ever before.
With so many exciting options from the likes of Off-White, Rick Owens, Givenchy and Nike, we’ve compiled a list of the very best brands in the hopes of making your sneaker shopping list for the year ahead a little easier to put together. Read on for a roundup of the very best designer kicks to make their way into Paris Fashion Week Men’s SS20.
Dior
The French designer released a bevy of new colorways for their most popular silhouettes, including a collaboration with artist Daniel Arsham. Similar to last year’s releases, a few pairs sported transparent designs in different tones, while some of Dior’s other popular silhouettes were splattered in hues of pink, blue and purple against plain white leather.
COMME des GARÇONS x Nike
Following their wildly successful collaborations of the past and their longstanding tradition of debuting projects at the Fashion Week in question, COMME des GARÇONS and Nike teamed up again to unveil a trio of Air Max 95 silhouettes.
Each of the three shoes featured a deconstructed design, continuing the theme from the Shox TL released earlier this year. In this case, the deconstructed side panels, revamped toe box and tonal colorways make these 95’s barely recognizable compared to the original models. All three colorways are set to be released sometime in 2020.
Off-White
Being on the more ostentatious side as usual, it should come as no surprise that Off-White’s sneakers grabbed everyone’s attention at Paris Fashion Week SS20. Onlookers spotted a pair of sandals with the brand’s industrial-style tagging on the straps, as well as a striking pair of hiking boots with a warped neon “X” logo on the side and a grippy sole.
Givenchy
Look past the wide-cuffed pants of their wearers and you’ll find that Givenchy’s SS20 lineup includes new silhouettes inspired by Balenciaga’s sock-like sneaker styles. As per the brand’s style, monochromatic tones and minimalist design elements were a common theme among the majority of pairs.
If you’re still catching up on prior releases, or you want to be the first to pick up their latest sneakers, be sure to head over to SSENSE to see their range of Givenchy sneakers for men. If you enjoy variety, you’ll be glad to find just about every major designer garment and sneaker in good supply here. Fast shipping comes as standard, so don’t worry about waiting.
RHUDE
A very Jordan 1-esque pair of basketball high-tops were the talking point of RHUDE’s SS20 collection. The leather upper and nylon detailing of the white and green pair looked particularly similar to Nike’s first Jumpman logo-sporting shoe. A black pair with an off-white midsole was also spotted, which looked more reminiscent of a sneaker from Saint Laurent.
Byredo
Better known in the past as a fragrance brand, Byredo is now moving on to sneakers and unveiled their first pair in Paris. The silhouette is reminiscent of a Chuck Taylor, but with the type of designer flair that makes it feel more similar to something you’d see from Dior.
“Quality” is probably the first word that would come to mind, with the pair featuring a very elegant and intricate design. Each sneaker is put together using leftover leather from the brand’s bags, with a curved effect that makes it look like patchwork. A mix of suede is used to create an intricate stitched design on the side, further adding to the high-end feel.
Rick Owens
Never ceasing to stun, Rick Owens’ SS20 collection was particularly focused on laces. One pair of low-tops featured an upper that was almost completely covered in a spiderweb of striking yellow laces, while another pair of platform boots featured an otherworldly lacing structure that also almost completely enveloped the upper.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton’s creative directorship under Virgil Abloh was most evident in this season’s sneakers. Hues of bright blue, lilac and red drowned out the black and gray elements that made prior seasons less eye-catching. A new ASICS-inspired low-top silhouette was spotted, as well as a Timberland-like boot and a new basketball sneaker.
These releases should provide all the inspiration you need to make your next wardrobe addition. Don’t forget that the year is yet to end, which means there are still plenty of new sneakers to come.