The dust is settling after the hottest Paris Men’s Fashion Week in history. While most had their eyes on the bombshell, beach runway shows and rise in bright colors, footwear fans kept their sights set on the lows. While PFW rarely reveals retro Air Jordans or takes a look at LeBron’s latest signature sneaker, this Is It has become the platform on which many high-profile fashion houses showcase their latest sportswear collaborations and in-house sneaker models.
This week proved to be no different, with five easy standouts that will have us scouring the internet for official drop dates in the coming months. New partnerships emerged, established partners maintained their dominance and one big name made a stir with the reveal of its latest incarnation. These are the sneakers that defined Paris Fashion Week.
reebok x celine freestyle
Courtesy of Celine
Courtesy of Celine
While many of the biggest European houses – from Dior to Gucci to Jacquemus – have jumped into the sneaker collaboration game in recent years, Celine has remained a holdout. That all changed in Paris last week, when the Michael Ryder-led label introduced a new spin on the Reebok Freestyle. Celine and Reebok are a somewhat leftist duo. The sneaker brand has struggled to find its footing culturally in recent years, and while it’s been active in high fashion here and there — most notably with Maison Margiela — these partnerships have never stuck. Everything Could Change Here: Celine’s first Reebok joint is a simple iteration of the ’80s women’s workout silhouette, with a sleek white leather exterior and some eye-catching logo flips on the tongue. The shoes were shown on the runway as worn and dirty, but upon re-examination they were revealed to actually be sold as new and clean.
Adidas x Willie Chavarria Stan Smith
Courtesy of Adidas
Courtesy of Adidas
