THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SNEAKERS   

As sneakers fans, I absolutely had to write you an article about it! Being an admirer of the work of great designers on these pieces, do not expect to find Nike, Adidas, Air Jordan or even the new trend of runners.

Sneakers are par excellence the piece of streetwear and sportswear. She has long been associated with street culture – in which she is still very present – ​​and with the dress code of teenagers.

But we can’t afford to be so simplistic these days! Especially since the phenomenon of the second half of the 2000s which breathed new life into this hitherto neglected piece.

A little history :

Sneakers were born in London at the beginning of the 19th century. They were created by a policeman who wanted to be more discreet during his arrests. The first part of the word sneaker simply recalls the verb: to sneak, which evokes stealth and silence.

The main feature it had from its inception was its rubber sole. By the 1830s it was being developed regularly by the Liverpool Rubber Company, which later became Dunlop, the tire manufacturer.

There has always been a popular craze around this piece which was widely used for sports thanks to its flexibility and lightness.

Iconic models:

The Converse brand was created in the United States in 1908 by Marquis Mills. It was 10 years later in 1918 that Chuck Taylor, a basketball player, took possession of this pair and made it an icon, adding his signature on either side of the brand’s star.

The germany army trainers or GAT:

Created especially for the German army in the 70s. They are solid, flexible and light. Nowadays if you want to find yourself a pair, you will have to go to a thrift store. They are easy to wear thanks to their sleek design.

Martin Margiela made it his model for his sneakers, high or low. Dior also used it but for a low line only.

A very refined design, associated with sport and tennis player Stan Smith. They are inspired by a previous model: the Haillet, named after another tennis player from the 60s. They were released in 1972. Adidas had stopped production 10 years ago. Rejoice, they will be back in 2014!

Until very recently, sneakers were coded young, street and accessible, but that was before the great designers took over this often neglected piece to make it an object of beauty and covetousness.

The revolution brought by Lanvin and Margiela in 2007 has completely changed the way we see sneakers today.

Wearing sneakers, where to start?

Do you want to explore new horizons for your look? Never tried sneakers before? I’m not talking about models from Adidas, Nike and others. Real sneakers, those that add value to your outfit and sublimate the whole?

Well, I propose to guide you in this exercise, which will be perilous if you don’t know where to start…

If you are just starting out and are at the discovery stage of menswear, I highly recommend that you take it step by step.

You have to build your basics, and acquiring a pair of designer sneakers will absolutely not be in this light.

Start with what is sober. Choose a simple and pure design!

Beginner level : All saints, Sawa, National Standard for small grants, Wing+Horns and Common Projects for larger budgets.

These 5 brands offer easy-to-wear models for someone who is just starting out and wants to try sneakers.

On the whole, the most refined remain in this order: the Common Projects, Wings+Horns and National Standard.

They all have a touch of minimalism and bring a touch of sophistication to an outfit, which ranks them well above converse, vans, Nike & Co. By starting this way, you won’t make a mistake.