Do as the Parisians Do and Wear One of These 5 Trainer Trends We Spotted During Fashion Month
From checkerboard skate shoes to retro high-tops, the French were wearing trainers all over Paris Fashion Week this September.
If you count yourself amongst the fashion-obsessed, I’d hazard a guess that you've been keeping up with Paris Fashion Week this month. From Anthony Vaccarello's glittering, gold-drenched extravaganza at Saint Laurent to the fever-pitch levels of anticipation for the new accessories that will be showcased at the Grand Palais from Matthieu Blazy's Chanel, the city of lights really has well and truly sparkled this season.
But whilst we still have Isabel Marant’s pink dip-dye and Chloé's clogs-and-jeans combination at the forefront of our minds for spring/summer 2027, there's one item that hasn’t gone unnoticed by show-goers and models alike this season: trainers.
After falling relatively out of favour with fashion's most on-trend dressers, the trainer was sidelined for foot-cushioning flip-flops and French-coded ballet flats during the summer, but women in Paris were wearing them everywhere you looked over fashion week. You see, the staple shoe has what many of today’s "it" styles seem to lack: actual purpose. Practical enough for hopping on and off the Métro as you bop to shows and built to handle the inevitable additional step count, trainers strike that rare balance between fashion and function. And in 2026, what more could you ask for?
As we delve into the trends shaping autumn/ winter 2026, it's clear that trainers aren’t going anywhere fast; if anything, they’re settling in. The Lyst Index Q2 report makes one thing obvious: dressing like you’ve made the team (even when you haven’t) is in. In fact, certain styles jumped over 4000% in the quarter. If that's not convincing enough, may I direct you to the A/W 26 runways? With maximalism unashamedly back (and staying put for the foreseeable future), the new trainer silhouettes shadow precisely this.
Be it the thick, chunky-soled stompers at Balenciaga or the quietly showy styles at Miu Miu, the spectrum is wide. Even Shiatzy Chen leaned in, sending out calf-hugging, knee-high trainer-boot hybrids that made us sit up and take notice.
But don't panic; before you worry that I'm suggesting we'll all be wearing knee-high, lace-up sneaker-boots all winter, the styles the chicest dressers are backing this season aren't quite as out there as the runways may suggest. Instead, they strike that sweet spot between wearable and genuinely stylish, and they're infused with enough joy de vive to feel entirely at home in the capital. Plus, they'll all work with your autumn capsule-wardrobe staples of jeans, leggings, skirts and trousers.
It seems that Paris is no longer just flirting with function, but fully committing to it, and the five trainer trends below are how they’re doing it. Scroll to see and shop this season’s most popular trainer trends straight from Paris, and remember that you heard them here first.
5 Trainer Trends From PFW You'll Want to Wear All Year
1. Low-Profile Minimalist
Style Notes: Whilst it's true maximalism is very much "in", quiet luxury did provide us with a lasting legacy piece: the low-profile trainer. Stripped-back in silhouette and refreshingly unfussy in approach, this runner nails the holy trinity (function, style and most importantly, comfort) with ease. And with everyone from Dries Van Noten to Nike and Jacquemus creating pairs with cult followings, it's clear this trainer trend has staying power.
Shop the Trainer Trend:
A best-selling style.
Last year's viral leather trainers are back for a second year, this time in warm chocolate-brown suede and slick white leather.
If it's good enough for Sienna Miller...
I recently spotted someone wearing this iconic style with bloomer trousers and a striped, fitted top.
Bella Hadid was recently spotted out in this romantic satin pair.
2. She Was a Sk8r Boi
Style Notes: If the trainers on your social media feeds have started to look like an Avril Lavigne "Sk8er Boi" fever dream, you’re not alone. In fact, the streets of Paris are filled with the once-considered "dated" style right now. Tapping into both the current wave of Y2K nostalgia, the style's chunky, low-profile skate silhouette has quickly fallen back into favour this autumn. A little undone and a whole lot of rebellious energy, their retro look pairs well with loose jeans, camo-print trousers and heritage plaid skirts everywhere in 2026.
Shop the Trainer Trend:
A footwear icon.
Haven't you heard? In 2026, leopard print is a neutral.
These were everywhere in Paris.
The pastel tones give these an '80s vibe.
These trainers come naturally distressed, so no need to worry about signs of wear.
3. Back to the Streets
Style Notes: This season, streetwear shoes found a home in Paris. Think Nike Shox or New Balance 1906s—designs that lean towards performance rather than polish. Their distinctly athletic shapes and tricked-out soles have made them some of the most highly coveted pairs in the trainer sphere, and they also tap into the casual, athleisure feel of cosy season.
Shop the Trainer Trend:
These will get you noticed.
The Adidas Control 5 comes in 14 different colourways.
A fashion person's favourite.
We see silver trainers every season—surprisingly, they don't date.
Style these with Bermuda shorts and a loose white T-shirt for an everyday look on a warmer day.
4. Let's Get Technical
Style Notes: When comfort meets maximalism, you get gorpcore trainers: the original ugly shoe. Balancing high-performance, trail-ready details that don't try to be pretty with a distinctly technical finish, the key to making these feel more "fashion" lies in styling. To temper their utilitarian finish, think the opposite: a soft tulle skirt, relaxed denim or maybe a balloon trouser for contrast makes them feel less try-hard and more thrown together in the chicest way.
Shop the Trainer Trend:
Keen is the trainer brand to know if you're after a under-the-radar style.
ON trainers have quickly become a favourite of fashion's best-dressed.
All the cool girls own a pair of Salomons.
Style with a midi skirt and fitted top for a casually cool finish.
This style also comes in black and beige.
5. Return of the Stack
Style Notes: As we well know, fashion is cyclical, and what's "out" one season rarely stays that way for long. This is particularly true of the chunky trainer. If you're instantly transported back to the logo-heavy, thick-soled styles of the 2010s, you aren't far wrong. Leaning into the maximalist mood shaping current trends, these silhouettes aren't ashamed to be an acquired taste (it keeps them head and shoulders above the rest, after all). The soles are substantial but streamlined; the details are functional, not flashy, and they happen to look incredibly cool styled with leggings and a cropped bomber jacket.
Shop the Trainer Trend:
A style that can take you from the gym to the streets with ease.
If you're on the shorter side and want a pair that is not only walkable but will add some height, look no further.
Sézane's footwear is just as good as its clothing.
These look so comfy.
I wear these trainers multiple times a week.
