Last April, Rishi Sunak challenged the credibility of Adidas Sambas after he was pictured wearing a pair in a televised interview. These are the new It trainers for 2025.
The former Prime Minister apologised for nearly ruining the reputation of the trainers, and in the end, we all decided to carry on wearing them because they’re a perfectly good retro casual classic that goes with pretty much everything. The steadfast sneaker proved itself so enduringly appealing that it is even Sunak-immune. If 2024 was the year of the Samba, what will be this year’s coolest sneakers? Which sporty styles will be worn by the great and the good in 2025? Including New Balance, Asics, Adidas and more, we round up the five key trainers we predict will be big news this year.
The most sought-after Adidas style is currently the Campus, a chunkier alternative to the Samba with a skater girl edge.
The Adidas Campus 00s
Online marketplace and resale site StockX reports that, despite being seen on the feet of Sunak, Adidas sneakers remain popular with sales up 50 per cent year-on-year globally, and even higher in the UK at 63 per cent. The most sought-after is currently the Adidas Campus, a more robust alternative to the Samba but equally versatile. Chunkier in terms of tread, they also feature more padding on the tongue, giving them a skater girl edge – a footwear style that’s expected to return this year (interestingly, searches for Vans are up 31 per cent). The Campus isn’t the only Adidas trainer you’ll be seeing everywhere – the Spezial was named as The Sole Supplier’s best selling sneaker of 2024, following endorsements from Molly-Mae, Kaia Gerber and Paul Mescal. Demand is set to rise again this year, particularly for Liam Gallagher’s Spezial collaboration which Oasis fans will be stepping out in for the Oasis reunion in July.
Inspired by Formula One drivers of the 70s and 80s, the sleek Puma Speedcat is fast becoming an It trainer among discerning shoppers. Fans include Emily Ratajkowski, Dua Lipa and K-Pop star Rosé. “We’ve seen a growing trend of customers buying low-profile silhouettes that rival the Adidas Samba, for example Puma’s suede execution of their 90s icon, Speedcat,” says Selfridges Shoe Buying Manager Pete Rodwell. “For those looking for a more technical aesthetic, the Nike Muse is also on the rise.”
When it comes to running shoes with extra milage, it boils down to two key names – Swiss brand On and American label Saucony. Celebrity trainer Louisa Drake recently told us that she’s noticed an upshot in clients wearing On Cloudmonsters, while Saucony ranked among StockX’s top five fastest-growing sneaker brands for the first time, having recently paired up with South London radio station Balamii and community running organisation Your Friendly Runners (YFR).
Last year was record-breaking for Asics, as sales soared by 350 per cent. Sporty, retro and comfortable, its high-profile collaborations with Cecilie Bahnsen and Kiko Kostadinov have helped re-contextualise the heritage Japanese brand within a fashion setting. Celebrity patronage from Kendall Jenner and Justin Bieber has brought its nostalgic footwear to a wider, younger audience. The Asics’ Gel-Kayano 14s are among the most-hyped styles, delivering a futurist-meets-retro aesthetic that’s surprisingly wearable.
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