The 14 best sneakers at Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2026

WHILE SLIM SNEAKERS have reigned supreme over the last few seasons, Paris Fashion Week just revealed that size won’t matter in the months ahead.

Mammoth stompers will be just as coveted as sleek steppers in this experimental period of footwear which focuses on bygone eras as opposed to proportions.

Get ready for a wave of new releases and re-issues from Adidas, Jordan, Louis Vuitton, Dior and more that look to the past to inform the future.

And with names such as Salehe Bembury, Jonathan Anderson and Thibo Denis behind the designs, you can bet the sartorially astute are certainly taking note.

Having attended all the shows, visited showrooms, explored “experiences”, and even tried on several pairs, I’ve curated the 12 best sneakers for your moodboard.

Salehe Bembury x Puma Velum

Salehe Bembury is the sneakerverse’s favourite knickerbocker, having designed knockout kicks for a wide array of marques, including Versace, Yeezy, Crocs and New Balance. His next venture is with Puma, and the Velum is the first general release shoe to be born from the collaboration. As expected, it bears all the hallmarks of a Bembury special, from its earthy colour palette to the distinctive fingerprint-inspired midsole.

Wales Bonner x Y-3 x Adidas Football Shoe

Adidas-engineered sneakers are now commonplace on Grace Wales Bonner’s runway, but this year she surprised attendees by also bringing Y-3 – Adidas’ line with Yohji Yamamoto – into the fold. Together, these titans of The Three Stripes’ collaboration scene kicked about some ideas until they curved in a winner, delivering a luxurious kick you can consider the boujee uncle of the Adidas F50 family.

Pharrell x Adidas Jellyfish

Ever since last summer, my colleague Carmen (our wonderful style editor) and I have been obsessing over current Pharrell’s go-to trainers. Stompers, truly, as the formidable footwear is not practical for any form of training (ankle strengthening excluded). They are – as I suspected when we got our first glimpse – a souped-up take on the Adistar dubbed the Jellyfish. The OG goldfish-orange iteration landed in Paris, delivered to VIPs in gigantic, fittingly themed fish bags in the name of Fashion Week. And for an extra splash, Mr Williams teased a vibrant green colorway at Jonathan Anderson’s debut Dior show.

Louis Vuitton Tilted

Surprisingly, Pharrell has delivered a more practical sneaker for Louis Vuitton compared to his new Adidas creation. In alliance with Thibo Denis, the visionary behind some of the past few years’ most coveted high-end creps, they’ve formed a sneak steeped in skateboard culture. You could call it an evolved Vans Old Skool. Aptly named Tilted, its personality lies in its deliberately askew design.

Dior Plimsoll by Jonathan Anderson

Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut was the most anticipated moment on this year’s men’s summer Paris Fashion Week schedule, and he did not disappoint. And though 1800s inspiration were at the forefront, the 2000s influences are just as obvious on closer inspection. One way the Irish designer tugs on your noughties nostalgia is with plimsolls – which, like a lot of your favourite things popular in that era, have been generously plumped up for a more youthful look.

Air Jordan 1 High “Shattered Backboard” (2025)

A decade ago, Jordan Brand’s independent release of a new Jordan 1 colorway instantly resonated with the sneaker community – a rare feat, given sneakerheads’ usual preference for OG colorways and collaborations. Its widespread appeal stemmed from its powerful backstory: the orange, black, and white design directly referenced Michael Jordan’s unforgettable 1985 game where he literally shattered the backboard. Now, to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the iconic shoe is set for a re-release this summer; Jumpman unveiled the 2025 edition at their Paris Fashion Week showroom.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander x Converse SHAI 001

The Converse SHAI 001, NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s debut signature sneaker, has been on our radar for a while. Impressively, its impending Fall 2025 release still boasts serious buzz – £115 is a pretty compelling price point, after all. It sits squarely at the intersection of sports and lifestyle; the shoe’s namesake wears it both on and off the court (and I’m assured he was deeply involved in the design process).

You’ve seen it in the OG “Butter” colourway, and more recently in “Charm Black”, “Hail Clay”, “Ares Grey” and “Masi Blue” – each is, quite nicely, named after a member of his family. Having seen them all IRL, I must say “Masi” is particularly effective – though perhaps I’m biased as it reminds me of the icy blue DS Lite I coveted back in 2006.

Y-3 Predator

Before Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas formalised their partnership with Y-3, they had a phase of what the kids call “linking up”. Case in point: that time they went full-on safari, tapping into the animal instincts of the Predator football line. Two decades on, Adidas is dusting off that range for new audiences, re-releasing it, but now with the official Y-3 stamp. It might be a dangerous style move, but get it right and it’ll be a roaring success.

Air Jordan Trunner OS

Jordan Brand is making a solid play to reignite interest in its 2000s Trunner line. Leading the charge? A chunky, contemporary rejig of the original: the Trunner OS. That “OS” actually stands for “off season” which tells you everything you need to know about its lifestyle lean. And thankfully, its aesthetic-conscious form doesn’t sacrifice any comfort – having worn these for a day spent running from show to show across Paris, I can confirm they are absolutely made to move.

Levi’s® x Nike Air Max 95

Back in 2018, the Levi’s x Jordan 4 drop delivered some seriously coveted sneakers – black, blue, or ecru, all in denim, naturally. Seven years later, the jeans brand is applying that exact same treatment to the Air Max 95, perfectly timed for the silhouette’s 30th anniversary.

Willy Chavarria x Adidas Megaride AG

You know a designer has earned their stripes when rumours start swirling about them heading up a big-boy fashion house. Willy Chavarria’s name is now officially being whispered for Fendi, and with good reason – he’s got exactly the pizzazz needed to reinvigorate the Italian label, which, let’s be honest, has flown a bit under the radar recently. Adidas is already in with the highly sought-after designer, having backed his maximalist vision for a modern wardrobe for a few seasons now. For SS26, that collaboration manifests in a few shapes and forms, with his bold take on the Adidas Megaride AG being the main event.

Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Tabi

Fashion will forever be obsessed with the tabi, and right now it is London-based designer Kiko Kostadinov championing the traditional Japanese footwear style via his collaboration with Kobe-based sportswear giant Asics. On his SS26 runway, he unveiled some new split-toe makeovers of classic Asics designs, featuring 1960s branding that creates a striking visual tension with the historic toe box.

Mizuno Wave Prophecy Morelia Neo

Japanese brand Mizuno now definitely carries an IYKYK status in Europe. Stocked at boutiques like Footpatrol, it’s a brand that’s happy to be discovered rather than desperate to be found. To keep that quiet momentum going, Mizuno recently celebrated the release of its new Wave Prophecy Morelia Neo model in Paris during Fashion Week. Its community, predictably, appreciated the shoe’s modern functionality perfectly blended with that throwback appearance.

Jah Jah x Adidas Megaride S2

Paris Fashion Week and Glastonbury, held concurrently, share something in common: an unexpected highlight often emerges from the chaos. For me, bustling through the French city (while my aforementioned colleague, Carmen, partied for us both at Glasto), that moment was the electrifying debut runway show of Jah Jah. The restaurant-turned-fashion brand is the brainchild of Daquisiline (Daqui) Gomis, a self-taught designer. Ever plugged into emerging talent, Adidas demonstrated its keen eye by empowering Gomis to infuse his unique pan-African stamp onto its soon-to-be-trending Megaride sneaker model.

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This story originally appeared on Esquire UK.

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