Paris Sneaker Culture: Chic and Slightly Un-American
My first day in Paris was warm and wet. I walked off the plane with a black hoodie, a thrift denim jacket, black sweat pants and of course, some fresh, red Nike sneakers. I was comfortable and still managed to look put together, no small feat in this fashion-forward city.
I hailed a taxi to meet a friend and we began the rest of our journey on foot. From the seventh arrondissement to the fifth, Hema to Monoprix, my day of stomping around the streets of Paris turned my once pristine shoes into a shabby remnant of what they once were. Within 45 minutes, something I had taken such pride in became something I was embarrassed to be seen wearing. I finished my day of errands and threw my new but now very run down shoes to the back of the closet because the American in me knew, once they're dirty, they're done.
Despite the previous day's tragedy, I went exploring the following day and noticed something very peculiar. The impressively chic French women (and men!) mixed business casual with Stan Smiths, miniskirts with New Balance or button ups with Converse. Meanwhile, their sneakers — or as the French would say, "les baskets" — had the same slovenly look as my beloved Nikes. Not only were Parisians unafraid to mix formal with casual, they were not nearly as precious about the state of their shoes as Americans tended to be.
This was the first of many cultural differences I've noticed since arriving in this fashion Mecca.
Floor length attire with sneakers at Paris Fashion Week SS16. Image Credit: Highsnobiety Silk evening gown with Nike sneakers. Image Credit: Mirror Me
Dresses with sneakers as seen during Paris Fashion Week SS16. Image Credit: Star Style Capedress with Addidas sneakers. Image Credit: IMAXTREE
In America, we would consider mixing traditionally formal attire with traditionally casual footwear a fashion faux pas. We take pride in our shoes and how they complete, not contrast, our outfit. Yet here in Paris, sneakers typically associated with street style in the U.S. have taken on new life.
Unaccustomed to this type of juxtaposition, it dawned on me how walking, a basic function of everyday life in Paris, played a vital part in what shoes people wear. Because sneakers are a necessity given the walking culture here, no matter how formal the rest of the outfit may be, Parisians opt for sneakers over heels. This trend has made its way to New York, London and Milan.
Classic Chanel suit with lime green sneakers. Image Credit: Vogue
Animal print dresses with wildly colorful sneakers. Image Credit: Vogue
Feminine, tea length skirt with lace up sneakers. Image Credit: Vogue
From the streets of Paris to the runways, sneakers strut their way all over Paris Fashion Week SS16. Even Chanel, the epitome of French fashion, has put their stamp on it.
Feathers, sequins and beads all pair well with Chanel sneakers at their SS14 show. Image Credit: The Fashion Foot
Chanel SS14. Image Credit: The Fashion Foot
Chanel SS14. Image Credit: The Fashion Foot
High end fashion houses such as Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton, Riccardo Tisci and others have all collaborated heavily with sneaker brands such as Adidas, Puma and Nike creating a glorious sneaker movement.
In a matter of two weeks in Paris, I began to sing a different tune. I pushed my heels to the back of my closet and brought my sneakers upfront. Finally, heels are no longer the default sartorial choice for women and sneakers have come in to save the day (and our feet!) Now, the age old question of "cute or comfortable?", when it comes to footwear, has a new and all-encompassing answer: sneakers.
