Major athletic footwear brand Reebok is carving out its share of sales by focusing on all-white styles.
“Across Australia and New Zealand we’re seeing an overwhelming desire for clean, stripped-back silhouettes with authentic tie-backs to brand heritage,” says Ash Sampson, brand director for Reebok Pacific.
Paparazzo photographs of euphoria actor Sydney Sweeney, supermodel Gigi Hadid, singer Joe Jonas and Emily Ratajkowski have helped drive demand for Reebok’s all-white Classic Leather styles, first launched in 1983 and the Club C85 silhouette.
“In spring, Reebok will be placing an emphasis on the Classic Leather franchise,” Sampson says. “Consumers are choosing wearability over flamboyancy, which has shifted in recent times.”
Sydney-based entrepreneur Parag Sawant is banking on the continued success of all-white styles, having launched the sneaker brand Monochrome in 2019. Sawant began manufacturing sneakers in Italy for the Australian market after spotting the success of minimalist designs from the brand Common Projects.
“I was trying to find something more in tune with the Australian lifestyle,” Sawant says. “It had to be understated and less flashy. Brands like Givenchy and Saint Laurent were doing premium sneakers, but they were more ostentatious.
“I wanted something sleek that wasn’t a pair of Vans.”
Monochrome offers white-on-white sneakers for $435, but the most successful style has been plain white leather on top of a pale grey, full rubber sole.
“It still has that premium look that people are looking for. We are seeing steady growth as people recognize them as investment pieces.”
There’s also good news for people looking for sneakers to wear outside, rather than keep pristine in boxes to trade.
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“The next big trend will be the great outdoors, with traditional labels like Salomon crushing it in design and with the Paris shows, such as Dior, very connected to the outdoors.”
So, your choices this spring are reformed dad sneakers, technicolour styles basic white or mountaineering motifs. Choose anything in between this spring, and you may as well be wearing chisel-toe black lace-ups or nude high heels.
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