Balenciaga’s New Basketball Sneaker Looks Like a High-End Foamposite
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Balenciaga has once again taken cues from popular sneaker designs and reimagined them through the Demna-led French fashion house’s luxury lens.
After spending the last few years remixing 2000s-era running shoes and Chuck Taylor-adjacent canvas lace-ups, Balenciaga is turning its attention to the basketball court. The simply named “Basketball Sneaker” debuted Monday at the label’s Paris Fashion Week spring 2025 show. Worn by models including David Beckham’s son, Romeo, the Basketball Sneaker takes some clear cues from late-1990s footwear.
The Balenciaga Basketball Sneaker has been likened to Nike’s Foamposite line, specifically the Air Flightposite. Similar to the Air Flightposite, the Basketball Sneaker uses a zippered closure — covered at the top by a Velcro flap — to keep the foot in place. And like the various shoes in the Foamposite lineage, the Basketball Sneaker is constructed with a molded, foam-like material. As usual with Balenciaga’s designs, the concept is exaggerated to extremes with bulbous proportions and elongated toes.
Keeping true to the apparent Foamposite inspiration, the Basketball Sneaker was previewed in a number of glossy and metallic colorways including red, copper and silver. The cream style even featured a pearlescent finish reminiscent of Nike’s “Pearl” Air Foamposite Pro.
As has become common with Balenciaga’s modern footwear, many of the Basketball Sneaker colorways feature pre-distressed details, described by the brand as a “worn-out effect” to give the appearance of heavy usage. The shoe’s European sizing is displayed on the toe and heel caps, which curl up higher than they do on traditional sneakers.
Balenciaga head of sneakers design Beini Qian shared Tuesday a look at various colorways of the Basketball Sneaker on her Instagram account. Those styles are pictured here along with a detailed look at the white pair shared by Balenciaga insider @myfacewheno_o.
Starting Wednesday, the Basketball Sneaker is available for pre-order from Balenciaga stores but as of publishing, it has not yet been added to the brand’s e-commerce store. Retail pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Launch Gallery: Balenciaga Spring 2025 Show: The Shoes Ashley Graham, Kim Petras and More Stars Wore [PHOTOS]
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