I’ve visited Paris plenty of times over the years. But on my latest weekend in the City of Lights, there was one thing that stood out to me while we were happily hopping from bar to café to museum—something I hadn’t noticed on my previous trips. All of the most stylish people on the street were wearing one particular brand of sneaker: New Balance.
It was the same at this year’s Fashion Week. From the street style photos to the pavements outside the Grand Palais, you’ll see that same ubiquitous, reassuringly cushioned sight. It seems that while once the preserve of your run club friends and suburban dads, the Boston-based brand has now firmly established itself as a definitive choice for some of the fashion industry’s most discerning tastemakers.
Why? The beauty of New Balance sneakers lies in their ability to round off almost any ensemble with a certain insouciant panache. That hyper-technical, mesh-paneled aesthetic you’ll see in the brand’s popular 1906R and 530 styles works perfectly with sharp, oversized tailoring and floor-length trench coats, injecting a shot of nonchalance into otherwise formal silhouettes. Others take a softer approach, styling retro suede classics like the 990 series with long slip skirts, chunky knitwear, and structured jackets.
So they’re a really versatile shoe, evoking that “low effort, high reward” aesthetic that works really well for casual to smart-casual ensembles. Various collaborations—including the latest minimalist collections with Japanese label Auralee, Junya Watanabe’s hybrid designs, and a range with Arket—have provided another high-fashion stamp of approval. After all, if loungewear and leggings can be fashionable now, why not your running shoes, too?