Pink isn’t always the easiest colour to pull off. It can feel a bit cutesy, a bit princess-like, a bit too close to the long hot summer of 2023. Unless we’re talking about pastel pink trainers, that is – which are something else entirely. And which are, for some reason, absolutely everywhere right now. From the Adidas Gazelle Indoor Pink Satin to the Puma Speedcat “whisp of pink” to the Patou X Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 and, well, the relatively batshit MM6 Maison Margiela X Salomon Cross Low Pink, all the big brands are dropping cute pink footwear this winter. Trainer fever and balletcore have finally collided to create something adorable, but with an edge.
The thing about pink trainers – and I’m mainly talking about lighter shades of pink here, not hot pink – is that they can feel like a cheeky little wink. If you’re wearing a slightly darker or more boyish ’fit, a splash of baby pink in trainer form can elevate the entire look, like a single maraschino cherry atop a cupcake. Think: Emma Corrin (below) in full blue trackies with some pink Adidas Gazelles, or Dua Lipa shlepping about in pink Puma Palermos. Essentially, a pink trainer can make a slouchy look less slouchy, and a slouchy look can make a pink trainer less cutesy… you get the idea. “It’s a trainer trend that seems to be skyrocketing at the moment,” sneaker head Adam Cheung wrote for British GQ recently. “So if you don’t have a pair of rosy runners in your collection now, you probably will in the next few months.”
MEGA
Every so often, a specific colour or shade becomes a trainer trend in its own right. Earlier this year, garish yellow trainers were at their apex, with Onitsuka Tiger’s cult Mexico 66 leading the charge. Now, however, it seems we’re all on the look out for something a bit softer and prettier. To quote Audrey Hepburn (who never would have worn trainers, but still): “I believe in pink.”
