Image via Complex Original
Over the past few weeks, we have seen fashion labels present collections in Paris and Milan that will dictate what style will look like throughout 2023. While we’re all fans of the narratives weaved into runway presentations or innovative silhouettes by cutting edge designers, we’re also constantly paying attention to the freshest footwear styles to hit the runway. And trust that during these Fall 2023 shows for Paris and Milan’s men's fashion weeks this month, the sneakers that appeared were worth noting.
Sacai put its spin on the OG Nike Air Footscape from the ‘90s. Junya Watanabe put out his own Oakley Flesh alongside a laundry list of other collaborations. Botter produced 3D-printed shoes with Reebok that resembled the shells of sea snails. And NIGO recently unveiled one of the first sneakers he’s ever designed for Kenzo.
Here are our favorite sneakers from Paris and Milan’s Fall 2023 menswear shows.
Sacai x Nike Air Footscape
Once again, Chitose Abe of Sacai has collaborated with Nike on a special collaboration that was unveiled on the runway of Paris Fashion Week. The latest Nike silhouette to receive Abe’s distorted twist is the Nike Air Footscape. Sacai’s take on this sneaker riffs on the original Footscape model that was released in 1996. Blue and black, red and black, and brown colorways were spotted at their Fall/Winter 2023 presentation. This Sacai x Nike collaboration also marks one of the first times that Sacai decided to omit a double Nike swoosh motif. Stay updated on the eventual release of this sneaker by following Sole Collector.—Lei Takanashi
Junya Watanabe x Oakley Flesh
Folks always say there are too many collaborations within fashion today. But during Junya Watanabe’s presentation at Paris Fashion Week, he proved to us that sometimes we can’t get enough of them. Alongside standout collaborations with Palace, The North Face, Carhartt, Bates, Mystery Ranch, Karrimor, Haglofs, Nanga, Alpha Industries, and Champion, Junya Watanabe also worked with several footwear brands this season. Timberland, Stepney Workers Club, New Balance, and Oakley. While Junya’s take on New Balance’s 650 silhouette will surely be coveted in the near future, the standout footwear collaboration to appear within his show was courtesy of Oakley. Watanabe’s Oakley collaboration was centered on the Flesh, an archival Oakley footwear style that was recently brought back into the fold thanks to Kyle Ng of Brain Dead—who’s currently a part of the Oakley Factory Team that brought this collaboration on the runway to life.—Lei Takanashi
Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus x New Balance
Within the sea of collaborations found in Junya Watanabe’s Fall 2023 collection, a surprise New Balance x Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus sneaker also appeared. The New Balance silhouette CDG presented was the 1906, which was originally released in 2009 and was recently brought back into production last year. The sneaker appeared in black/white and all-black iterations on the runway. Like the Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Nike Air Foamposites that released in 2021, expect the price tags for these New Balances to be above the average retail for 1906s. But to be honest, it was one of the cleanest sneakers seen in Paris last week. So it may well be worth the expensive price tag.—Lei Takanashi
Zellerfeld x Rains Puffer Boot
If you are someone who gravitates to the obscure and innovative, look no further than the boot that Rains created with Zellerfeld. The 3-D-printed design dubbed the Puffer Boot features various carved-out sections across its upper made to resemble a stone sculpture. On foot, the pair almost resembles some sort of warped dinosaur foot, thanks to its unconventional, rotund appearance. The puffer-inspired elements across the upper that lend themselves to the name of the design are actually filled with 90% air. The best part, these pairs are fully recyclable and require no stitching, gluing, or human construction to produce. While the look may not be for everyone, these certainly showcase the potential for a future of sustainably-produced footwear. —Mike DeStefano
Botter, the Parisian-based fashion label founded by Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, has picked up some of fashion’s biggest awards for what the founders dub “Caribbean couture.” But Botter’s garments aren’t just inspired by the rich culture of the Caribbean islands. They also reference our fragile ocean ecosystems currently threatened by climate change. This Botter x Reebok sneaker was inspired by the Venus comb murex, a predatory sea snail that is native to Indo-Pacific waters. The sneakers were worn by every model during their Fall/Winter 2023 presentation and appeared in a range of tropical colorways. Like Botter’s kelp-based textiles, the sneakers were also made with sustainably-minded innovation: 3-D printing provided by HP Inc.. While there’s no official release date as of yet, Botter’s Reeboks are certainly going to be remembered for their unusual yet stylish look. —Lei Takanashi
Martine Rose x Nike Shox MR4 Mules
Before Paris Fashion Week kicked off, Martine Rose presented her latest collection during Pitti Uomo. The runway show showcased the British designer’s latest work inspired by various youth-driven subcultures across Europe. Along with apparel like jerseys and nylon windbreakers that nodded to Italy’s love of soccer, Rose also presented her latest Nike collab. Similar to her bulbous, misshapen take on the Air Monarch 4 back in 2019, Rose delivered another polarizing re envision of one of Nike’s retro running models. This time, it was a new colorway of her Shox MR4 Mule. The pair was dressed in a gradient mixture of teal and purple meant to nod to the vibrant jerseys soccer goalies would wear back in the ‘90s. This pair, with its elevated Shox pillars and squared toe to give off a heel-like appearance, certainly isn’t for everybody. But it’s nice to see Rose push the boundaries of what a Nike sneaker can be time and time again instead of compromising her creative vision to release something more mundane. —Mike DeStefano
Kenzo Running Sneakers
Running sneaker labels like New Balance, Asics, and Salomon are on the feet of most streetwear enthusiasts today. So it’s no surprise that Kenzo has thrown its hat into the ring by unveiling their own running sneaker style during their Fall/Winter 2023 presentation. While it’s difficult to imagine The Beatles or British mods wearing contemporary “dad shoes,”— or even a pair of Kenzo x Hunter rain boots on top of that—Kenzo’s take on this trend feels far more subtle and wearable than similar offerings by other luxury fashion houses. The sneakers come in silver and blue, boast a chunky mid-sole, and features low key logo hits on the tongue and lateral.—Lei Takanashi
New Balance has cultivated an impressive roster of collaborators that range from streetwear heavyweights like Joe Freshgoods to iconic luxury brands like Miu Miu. Japan’s Auralee is another notable name on the list that has provided noteworthy takes on the 550 and 2002R over the past few years. During its Fall/Winter 2023 presentation, Ryota Iwai’s technical brand debuted its latest work, two pairs of the 1906. Each features a tonal execution mixing mesh and suede across the upper with cream midsoles. So many sneakers on the runway, some of which you will see on this list, totally reinvent the traditional look of sneakers to favor artistry in favor of wearability. For these blue and grey New Balances from Auralee, it’s the opposite. The beauty is in their simplicity.—Mike DeStefano
Prada Moc-Toe Sneaker
Prada decided to mix dress shoes with sneakers for its newest footwear silhouette. The pair features a moc-toe-inspired upper complete with raised edges. Sporty lace loops and bright colorways like yellow and pink/burgundy lean this pair further into the sportswear realm. But the standout element of Prada’s newest creation is the massive sole that its upper sits upon complete with an exaggerated heel that can’t help but be compared to Balenciaga’s popular Triple S. This is a shoe that can pair as well with a pair of trousers as it can a pair of jeans, perfect for the current high-low fashion climate. —Mike DeStefano
Wales Bonner x Adidas Pro Model 2G
Wales Bonner’s Adidas Samba was one of the hottest sneaker collabs of 2022 and helped cement the Samba in the zeitgeist for plenty of people. With such an obvious success, it was easy to assume we would see more Adidas collabs surface in Wales Bonner’s newest collection. But we certainly were not predicting this Eastbay (RIP) icon to be the canvas of choice. Select models walked the runway for the designer’s Fall/Winter 2023 presentation in new pairs of the Pro Model 2G. The 2000s basketball model complete with Adidas’ signature shell toe was an upgrade to the Pro Model for the new millennium and became a cult classic among hoopers. For her iteration, Grace Wales Bonner made some subtle-yet-impactful changes to make them more fit for a runway than the local gymnasium such as premium black suede uppers, gold eyelets, and a downsizing of the massive Three Stripes branding seen on original pairs. Basketball sneakers certainly aren’t in vogue right now, but can the Wales Bonner co-sign shift that for certain people? After seeing the fervor she created for the Sambas, it’s certainly possible. —Mike DeStefano
Louis Vuitton Discovery Sneakers
Louis Vuitton’s latest seasonal menswear collection debuted the luxury house’s first-ever guest designer capsule. Colm Dillane, the founder of the New York City-based label Kidsuper, was tapped to design their Fall/Winter 2023 collection. While everyone’s eyes were on Dillane’s whimsical reinterpretations of Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram and Keepall bag, the footwear produced this season was definitely of note. Granted that iconic footwear designs spearheaded by Abloh were also spotted on the runway (such as the LV Trainer 2 and the LV Baroque boot), the freshest pair of kicks to hit the runway was the LV Discovery shoe. Officially making its debut during their latest Paris Fashion Week presentation, the LV Discovery is honestly the most “gorpcore”-inspired footwear design to ever be released by the French Luxury house. The sneakers boast a squishy, chunky, sole and appeared in several different iterations on the runway. One resembled something that looked more like a snowboard boot. Another pair was dressier and resembled a giant glazed leather derby. There were even pairs in a metallic colorway with zip-up laces and ones that looked like burgundy mesh trail running sneakers. While these types of outdoor-influenced sneakers are already part of the language of houses like Balenciaga and Givenchy, LV seems to be catching up with the times without feeling too late.—Lei Takanashi
Amiri MA-1 High Top
Many people immediately think of super-skinny rockstar denim when they hear Amiri uttered in conversation. But with each new collection, Mike Amiri continues to show that his eponymous brand is much more than the label that makes the jeans worn by your favorite rappers. Mixed in to the hip-hop-inspired collection featuring elements like mohair sweaters nodding to DJ Premier and record crates adorned with Amiri logos, the brand debuted its newest MA-1 sneaker. The high-top iteration carries over elements from its low-top predecessor like an ultra puffy tongue and fat laces. Overall, the sneaker is kept intentionally minimal, complete with all-white leather uppers, to encourage everyday wear. —Mike DeStefano
If you don’t own a pair yourself, you’ve likely seen Maison Mihara Yasuhiro’s sneakers on your social media feed before. You know, the Converse-looking sneakers with the warped midsoles? The melted bottoms are a signature offering from the Japanese designer that have been trending on the marketplace in recent years. For the brand’s Fall/Winter 2023 presentation, Maison Mihara Yasuhiro debuted an updated take on the Peterson aptly dubbed the Peterson 23. The new silhouette features a deformed sole that is double the thickness of the original. Grey, red, blue, and black colorways all made their way down the runway.