Ballet sneakers are the hot, new take on the ‘balletcore’ trend
Move over, Miu Miu — these kicks are taking center stage.
Amid the revival of the legacy ballet flat and the prevalence of “balletcore,” fashionistas are taking a new shoe for a spin: a satin, slipper-sneaker hybrid.
The understand slip-on has taken a new form as a trainer; first emerging to prominence from designer Simone Rocha, the romantic trainer features a chunky, EVA tread fit for movement while maintaining the soft features of a pointe shoe with tiny bows, elastic straps and a satin sheen.
The footwear, dubbed the “Tracker,” which rings in at more than $1,000, is the best of both worlds, a visibly tangible example of the duality of a woman, at least in personal style.
“It’s a collision and a contrast,” Rocha, whose hallmark organza, bows and lace serve as pillars in her ethereal design DNA, told New York magazine’s The Cut. “A clash of the ballet pump with a more ergonomic technical shoe.”
While Rocha’s many iterations of the hybrid shoe have been modified each season since its inception in 2020, it’s only now that other brands are crafting their own renditions of the athleisure kicks.
Vegan accessories brand Rombaut offers a bow-adorned, lace-up trainer, the “Aura,” retailing at $440. The lug-sole ballerina flat, available in a rosy pink and jet black, mimics the laces on the traditional dance shoe, with thick, satin ribbons that tie around the ankle. The label also offers a pair sans laces, and another with thin straps and dainty silver buckles.
“The sole is more athletic and lightweight,” creative director Mats Rombaut told The Cut, likening the footwear to “sneakers” rather than a true ballet flat.
JW Pei also sells multiple versions of the ballet sneaker at a more affordable price point — the profile of the “Flavia” flat akin to a running shoe but fashioned with pink satin fabric, while the brand’s more utilitarian suede “Caitlin” trainers feature thin, elastic laces.
Meanwhile, UK-based brand Lazy Oaf launched its first-ever sneaker, the “Happy Sad” lace-up shoe, that ties in a criss-cross pattern across the top up the foot and around the ankle but utilizes traditional sneaker laces rather than satin ribbon.
While ballet shoes are more “formal,” according to Laura Fanning, the co-creative director of fashion label Kiko Kostadinov, the visually heavy soles add weight and fortitude to the traditionally delicate footwear that has gripped the masses for the better part of the last year.
“Fragility is still very relevant in womenswear and what we wear, and it’s interesting to push that fragility into something that can feel stronger,” Deanna Fanning, co-creative director of Kiko Kostandinov, which partnered with Marc Jacobs and Asics to release a now sold-out ballet sneaker, told The Cut.
Prim ballet flats, especially of the mesh variety, have emerged as one of the hottest accessories among fashionistas and A-listers alike as buzzy “balletcore” — marked by coquette-esque bows, tulle, puffed sleeves, satin and white tights — continues to dominate the runways of Simone Rocha, Adeam and “It” girl brand Sandy Liang.
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