Slim trainers are still the trendiest shoe of 2025. Here’s how to wear them
Sure, they've been around the block. But these sneakers are here to stay
IF YOU WALK INTO a pub these days, the mini fridges behind the bar will be stocked with slimline tonic, ready to fill customers’ tumblers (or god forbid, goblets) with G&T. And on the feet of thirsty customers, you’ll often find another type of tonic: Seventies-style running trainers. They’re adding a pep into the steps of its wearers, and happen to be slim(line), too.
Granted, this skinny shoe silhouette has been commonplace for some time now. Around 2022, Adidas Sambas started populating just about everyone’s shoe rotation, providing the antidote to the chunky ‘Dad’ trainer that had staked its territory in the 2010s. Still, that’s only when its popularity peaked – the Cool (capital C!) crowd were wearing their Wales Bonner iterations all the way back in 2020 when the first collab launched. Slim has been in for a while.
Nowadays you have plenty more options to choose from. While Adidas has dominated the conversation and column inches, other sports brands have taken the chance to get their foot in, betting wisely on the overexposure and subsequent decline of the Samba.
The Onitsuka Tiger’s Mexico 66 has valiantly attempted to challenge Adidas’ dominance for a while, and now the Puma Speedcat is sprinting into first place, spotted on just about every clued-up hypebeast on your social media feed. (Still, on StockX, the Adidas Tokyo has seen over 200 trades in the past three months alone, suggesting that people aren’t sick of seeing those Three Stripes just yet.)
Brands, high and low, are dipping their toe into the trend. On the high street, COS and Arket both offer their own designs, while Maison Margiela and Balenciaga, who are both known for their respective quirky silhouettes – the Tabi toes for the former, the sock trainer for the latter – have also joined the race.
“Low profile trainers are popular right now because they strike the perfect balance between style and versatility. I love how designers are reinterpreting very minimalistic, simple designs that pay homage to 70s running and football shapes,” says Mr Porter’s buying manager, David Morris. “Dries Van Noten, Lemaire and Loewe are really resonating with our consumers right now. Customer searches for Loewe sneakers alone were up over 100 per cent during the last six months. Some of the best iterations are still to come with some great examples from Bottega Veneta, Rick Owens and Common Projects.”
Despite their seemingly hypey beginnings, there’s a strong chance that this silhouette won’t lose steam. The design is pretty inoffensive, to start with, meaning you’ll likely find them easy to style once they stop appearing on your favourite influencers. Much like the botanical-based tipple, flat trainers are in for the long run.
Adidas Originals Tokyo
Prada Re-Nylon and Suede Elasticised Sneakers
Dries Van Noten Leather-Trimmed Suede Sneakers
Maison Margiela Sprinters
Loewe Flow Runner
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A version of this story originally appeared on Esquire UK.
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