Shoes complete a look, just like a period at the end of a sentence — but it doesn’t stop there. They are the last thing that is noticed — and impressions can be built based off of them.
What makes an accessory strong and desired is the ability to be reinvented. To be powerful, it needs to own the ability to be changed in ways more than just color, but also through silhouette, shape and surface.
Since the Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear season just passed, one noticed that on the runway, accessories such as bags or hats can exceed any other items’ popularity. They are easily altered in terms of shapes and sizes and can thus serve different purposes, but it seems that rules are different off the catwalk.
Second-year illustration student Ernest Brants said, “Sneakers can make or break a fit, they can be a standalone piece by having a basic outfit and bold sneakers.”
Once again, shoes, especially sneakers, prove to be the hottest accessory this season. While reviewing the top 10 best selling shoes of 2018, sneakers took the majority.
When analyzing the list, there were the Converse Chuck Taylor Ox low, Vans Ward and the Nike Air Force 1 Low. What makes them similar is how these sneakers are relaunched into the market each season with a completely different look.
A brand like Converse that regularly switches up the materials and silhouettes of their products, has collaborated with brands such as Off-White to reach a wider audience that has a peculiar taste. Converse has always been known for its flexibility in style while maintaining the same visual aspects and this collaboration shows the high levels of adaptability a sneaker can have.
A distinct collaboration for the brand was with Comme Des Garçons. When the shoe was released, people could immediately identify the Converse silhouette marked with the CDG red hearts. They weren’t limited to the hearts either, Converse made them available in black and cream and in both– low and high tops.
Sneakers are favored by people with different styles, by having such multifaceted properties there’s no doubt they cater to a larger audience than other accessories. It takes five seconds to come up with a first impression about someone and some stand-out sneakers are a definite way to shape it.
