A shift in vibe.
With its minimalism, bohemian influences and tonal colour palettes, Scandinavian style has long served as inspiration for the rest of the world and this Spring/Summer 2023 fashion season saw no difference. Pegged as the new Paris by social media users, arriving at CIFF, it was immediately evident that there was a vibe shift happening at Copenhagen Fashion Week. There was an excess of monochrome fits, exaggerated silhouettes and larger than life looks that provided effortless cool but there was also one thing that was noticeable, a clear change in footwear selections.
Long before there were influencers, or Kanye West and Travis Scott were releasing shoes, the sneaker communities and forums were already booming, but everything changed when publications like Highsnobiety and Hypebeast helped spur the sneaker trend, taking what was once an underground ‘in the know’ thing to mainstream levels. A lot has happened since then. Sneaker culture and its exclusive drops, resellers and raffles have left fashion shoppers sick of taking L’s weekly when losing out on copying a new pair of hyped sneakers and as a result, some shoppers are denouncing sneakers and moving onto entirely different footwear options.
Photo credit: CPHFW SS23
In 2022 the most popular sneaker is Nike’s Dunk silhouette which was first released in 1985 and now can be seen on the feet of boomers and Gen Z’ers. For many who follow fashion, sneakers quickly became the only footwear option to own. However, reselling ruined sneaker culture and paying inflated prices for less than stellar quality sneakers on the secondary market is enough to make anyone consider leaving sneakers completely, and consider alternative ways to express themselves through footwear.
Ushered in by shrewd shoppers and the boys over at the men’s fashion podcast ‘Throwing Fits,’ if you haven’t already realised, the post-sneaker society has long been here. Footwear has always been a calling card for those who want to be creative past just tops and bottoms and it seems for a new generation of shoppers and consumers, loafers and mules are the natural evolution for a society that’s moving on from exclusively wearing sneakers. Taking a look at the electric street styles and runways from Paris to Copenhagen, the evidence is clear that fashion may now be more diverse when it comes to footwear than it was before. Street styles were littered with summer loafings from brands such as Martin Margiela, Filling Pieces or G.H Bass, boots from Doc Martens and sandals from the affable Birkenstock.
While previously seen as a stuffy footwear choice worn by old heads who frequent country clubs and spend their downtime playing polo, loafers have become the preferred option thanks to the youthful marketing of brands such as G.H. Bass & Co. Eytys and Filling Pieces. Sneaker culture took over everything, but now, in a place where you’d expect to only see a sea of Nike Dunks, Jordan 6’s or Jordan 1s, there is a healthy balance of loafers, mules, Wallabees, boots and the occasional dad sandal. As shoppers transition from one level of streetwear to another, they are shedding the ‘hypebeast’ moniker and becoming more conscious of style, quality, and shedding their ‘hypebeast’ tag as well, as well as finding inspiration in other types of footwear, as they no longer feel tethered to the culture of sneakers.
A combination of style, comfort, and ease of wear, laceless loafer styles from upstart brands Filling Pieces have captured shoppers’ attention with their revamped versions of old-school silhouettes. And now, big-name brands like Palace, Gucci and Prada, who have recognised the shift in the zeitgeist and have rightfully reintroduced loafers like luxury sneakers did.
Streetwear kids are growing up and as so has their taste for footwear. Taking L’s on Adidas’ CONFIRMED app or Nike’s SNKRS app has only served to help them realise that there is more out there than Yeezys, Jordan’s and Rick Owens. In the know shoppers are trading in their hyped sneakers, expanding their range and picking up loafers in radicals colours and textures, boots with or without heels and a plethora of different types of mules.
Becoming more relevant than they may have ever been before, silhouettes like Weejun loafers, mule slips or Wallabees are converting once self-professed sneaker heads to step out of their comfort zone and try new styles. As with anything else in life, balance is the key. A post-sneaker society is not one where no one no longer wears sneakers but is one where sneakers are not the default. Streetwear is growing up and with that comes exposure to other forms of dressing and item choices that before would not have received a second look. Of course, sneakers still dominate the day. However, thanks to Copenhagen Fashion Week it’s obviously apparent that we are living in a post-sneaker society.
