From Louis Vuitton's upcycled collection to Adidas' sustainable Stan Smiths, new sneakers drop has something for everyone

Our pick of the newest sneakers on the block. They don't just look great, they are good for the environment too

By Riddhi Doshi

Published: Mar 13, 2021 11:23:00 AM IST

Updated: Mar 30, 2021 07:49:57 AM IST

The upcycling process: From SS19 Lousi Vuitton trainer to the SS21 Louis Vuitton trainer. Photo by Gregoire Vieille

Made from denim or plastic waste, upcycled or reimagined, these newest, high-end sneaker drops are a great mix of style, comfort, technology, and sustainability. Pick your favourite pair and wear them while working out or to a casual, day party.

Louis Vuitton’s LV Trainer Upcycling collection by Virgil Abloh

Photo by Gregoire Vieille

Disassembled and then transformed, the new LV trainers are made from the pre-existing 2019 ones. The white calfskin and suede sneakers have playful tie-and-dye coloured laces. Designed at Louis Vuitton’s dedicated shoe workshop in Fiesso d’Artico in Italy, the shoes come with assembly instructions (about centering, cutting, and hand-applying the leather) and excess stitching threads that can be cut. Conceived by Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, these new LV Trainers are inspired by vintage basketball sneakers and have flashes of green on the upper and outsole.

The low-top version is available in pink, red, yellow, blue and green along with a padded collar and ‘LV Upcycling’ edged on the back. Key signatures include Abloh’s hand-written Louis Vuitton on the side.
Price on request

Dior ID sneakers

The latest models of Dior-ID sneakers by Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of Dior, are crafted in white leather and punctuated with a gold signature. They have contrasting inserts in dark blue, nude, green or red and a thick, textured sole. These were designed in Dior’s workshops in Italy’s Veneto region.
Price – Approximately Rs84,000

Gucci Epilogue: GG Denim Jacquard

Denim is a staple of Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele’s collections. For these sneakers, denim is reworked in jacquard with the fashion house’s GG pattern, and is dirt and water resistant.
Price on request

Hermes SS21 collection

Hermes has three sneakers in its Spring-Summer 2021 collection. This first variant for women is a pair of sneakers in summery colours, made with knit fabric and leather on a signature rubber sole. There is a high-tech film bonded to the front along with lace eyelets.

The second one for women is made in Epsom calfskin and is dressed in pastel hues and embellished with an orange sole.

Men’s shoes in technical canvas and suede goatskin with dynamic and contrasting lines that underscore its sporty style.
Price on request

Nike ZoomX Invincible Run

Created for long training runs, the Invincible silhouette includes more foam in the midsole, which returns more energy for improved running economy. The rocker geometry in the shoe and the wider nets in the forefoot help create a more stable ride and fluid stride transition.
Price: Rs16,595

Nike React Infinity Run 2

The Nike React Infinity Run 2 has an updated Flyknit (a digitally woven fabric, developed using a polyester thread) that offers a great fit and more support to the foot, helping promote more strength and breathability while running.
Price: 14,995

Adidas sustainable Stan Smith sneakers

The newest shoe from Adidas’ classic Stan Smith collection, named after the American tennis player, gets a sustainable avatar. These are made of Primegreen, a performance fabric developed by Adidas, which contains no virgin plastic. The white leather sneaker is designed in classic green, has a rubber tooling, and comes in a box made of more than 90 percent recycled paper.
Price Rs7,000 plus depending on the variant

PUMA’s Deviate NITRO

It is PUMA’s performance running shoe, meant for speed, high mileage and marathons. It has two layers of PUMA’s new foam, NITRO, and its newest INNOPLATE technology, offering maximum cushioning with improved efficiency for long runs.
Price: Rs14,999

Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66TM

Onitsuka Tiger’s new spring/summer sneaker has made-in-Japan nylon. This material is characterised by its high density, its being lightweight, and soft texture. Available in combinations of pink and black, green and pink, and blue and white, the shoes are a tribute to the first sneakers with nylon that Onitsuka had released in 1954.
Price: Rs8,999