Whoever said comfort and style can’t coexist clearly has not been exposed to the power and popularity of fashion sneakers. Sneakers have existed for over a century, but statistics show that their rise in popularity seems to correlate with the rise of the athlesiure trend. According to SportsOneSource.com, in 2015 alone, the athletic footwear industry grew by 8%, generating about $17.2 billion in sales. The term “fashion sneaker” didn’t exist until 10 years ago, but with the help of celebrities and social media, companies such as Adidas and Puma are able to majorly profit from this trend. Admit it — you invested in a pair of Stan Smiths because Kendall Jenner was wearing them on Instagram, not because you love to play tennis. Even celebrities, perhaps most notably Kanye West, have designed fashion sneakers which have gained massive popularity since their release. Students all around NYU are rocking this trend and putting their own unique spin on it.
Jessie Salgado (Liberal Studies Freshman)
What brand of sneaker is this/where did you purchase these?
These are New Balance, and I got them at Macy’s.
What drew you to these sneakers?
The fact that they can go with anything. You can wear them with a long shirt dress, leggings, anything, really. You can dress them up or down, and they’re comfortable. They’re practical for the city. They’re easy to slip on and go to class or go out with friends.
How would you define your style?
Casual. It really depends on the day. I can’t really pick one word to describe it.
Do you have a certain celebrity or store that you draw style inspiration from?
I don’t really have on specific celebrity. I just look at what other students are wearing. I’ll look at people I see in class, people I see on the streets, my friends and I’ll say, “Oh that’s cute. I can duplicate that.” I draw inspiration from that.
What are your favorite stores/websites to shop at?
I like Madewell, and I like Old Navy because they have good sales. But most of my shopping comes from thrift shops.
Jessie is wearing 620 New Balance Women’s shoes. You can purchase them at www.newbalance.com and enjoy a 10% student discount through UNiDAYS.
Klea Matia (CAS Sophomore)
What brand of sneaker is this/where did you purchase these?
I don’t really know the brand, but I got them from Misguided. I was looking for both a platform and a sneaker, and I really like this store.
What drew you to these sneakers?
The fact that they’re sneakers and platforms. They’re tall, comfortable and all white. You can style them with very different outfits. You can make them sporty, classy, anything. I like that they’re comfortable, they look nice, they make me look taller, they make your legs look better. And they’re really easy to style.
How would you define your style?
I don’t know. I like to mix things up. I like to keep it classy, but other times I like to be a bit more edgy. I like hoodies and graphic tees too… whatever floats my boat, I guess.
Do you have a certain celebrity or store that you draw style inspiration from?
I don’t know about celebrities, but I draw inspiration from Urban Outfitters, ZARA, Misguided, American Apparel and others.
What are your favorite stores/websites to shop at?
All of the stores I just mentioned!
Klea is wearing Missguided’s Tab Flatform Trainers in white. You can purchase them at www.missguidedus.com and enjoy a 40% student discount through UNiDAYS.
Victor Gautreaux (Stern Freshman)
What brand of sneaker is this/where did you purchase these?
This brand is Saucony. The model is the Grid 9000. I bought these on their website. They were having a sale.
What drew you to these sneakers?
The color scheme.
What do you like about this trend?
I like certain styles of sneakers. I like this design and the logo blends nicely into the rest of the sneaker. I don’t like it when Nike randomly puts a checkmark on the sneakers, it feels kind of random.
How would you define your style?
I wear what I want. I don’t follow the trends. If I see something I like, I’ll buy it, and I will find a way to add it to my wardrobe.
Do you have a certain celebrity or store that you draw style inspiration from?
ASAP Rocky. I like how he experiments with different colors and different styles. He’ll mix up what you consider dressy clothing with streetwear, and I really respect that.
What are your favorite stores/websites to shop at?
Fight Club, Adidas, Noho Market, and Barney’s. Also Bloomingdales.
Victor is wearing the Grid 9000 by Saucony, in creme and pink. You can purchase them at www.saucony.com or at Paragon Sports on 867 Broadway.
Tilly Holmes (Liberal Studies Freshman)
What brand of sneaker is this/where did you purchase these?
They’re Adidas, and I bought them at Office in London.
What drew you to these sneakers?
I like the suede. I wanted black trainers, and I wanted sports trainers that you could wear out, but not exercise in.
What do you like about this trend?
The comfort! I even wear them even when I go out. As long as it means that I can wear comfortable shoes!
How would you define your style?
I don’t know! Comfy, but cool, I guess.
Do you have a certain celebrity or store that you draw style inspiration from?
Not really, no. I like to shop in vintage stores. I don’t really base my style off of anyone. I only buy and wear stuff that I like.
How else would you style these sneakers?
I would probably wear a black dress. A slip or a tight black dress.
What are your favorite stores/websites to shop at?
Urban Outfitters, when I can afford it. ZARA is cool. I like thrift shops… I like Beacon’s Closet and another tiny shop by Lipton. It’s cool, but I can’t think of the name.
Tilly is wearing the adidas NEO Baseline, in black and white. You can purchase them at www.adidas.com and enjoy a 15% student discount through UNiDAYS.
Photos by Michaela Hoffman.
Michaela Hoffman is a contributing writer. Email her at violetvision@nyunews.com.
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