Style Recap: Sneaker Takeaways from LFWM SS19
Designers in the UK took a break from political commentary to take a deep breath and look at the stars.
So, what does one think about when they’re not thinking about politics? Wild looks materialised from the vacuum: animal prints stamped across silhouettes, Christopher Kane modified sneaker DNA and JW Anderson installed one of the most gargantuan soles yet.
Here’s what London Fashion Week SS19 meant for our sneaker universe ...
Riccardo Tisci is Burberry’s new man, the former Givenchy designer handed the keys to the luxury British fashion house. He took a no frills, austere approach to his debut, declaring he would ‘own beige’ (someone dial ‘Ye). Tisci is looking to streetwear for inspiration, introducing a ‘scarcity factor’ to his drops that's already seen him recruit a few Gen Z fans. Let’s see how long it takes before Burberry starts stepping on toes.
Sneakers are on safari. Although millennials have adopted veganism, it seems we’re more than happy to imitate the animal kingdom’s stripes. Animal prints were everywhere across London Fashion Week, led by Nike’s wildly popular Air Max 1 'Animal Pack' (Repped by Ben Simmons last week at NYFW). But it didn’t stop at the sneakers. Jackets, jeans, cars and caps eventually climaxed with David Attenborough narrating Christopher Kane’s SS19 ‘Sex in Nature’ runway show, presenting all the kind of sexual cannibalism simmering beneath fashion week.
Christopher Kane meddled with the DNA of the sneaker, introducing a colourway that references his love of science.The Scottish fashion designer hit the soles with a tri-coloured palette.‘They’re like a DNA strand ... I’m obsessed with science, as you know, so they’re made to look like molecules.' Genetic modification is alive and well in the sneaker universe.
JW Anderson took the chunky shoe phenom to the next level, installing a gargantuan sole to the Chuck 70. The design shifts dramatically from his more conservative approach to the iconic silhouette, the JW Anderson x Converse grid design landing back in July. The design is complete with rigged rubber running along the outsole and partly up the sneaker's spine.
The silhouette has a prehistoric look, an animalistic blend that suits London Fashion Week's wild aesthetic.
Expect sneaker brands to go big game hunting over the next few months and skin some more exotic builds for the final instalment of 2018.
