With the footwear release calendar as busy as always, the drops which actually garner attention become all the more obvious. This summer, we noticed that a handful of men's and women's sneaker styles rose above the noise to define the season. Some of them catered to the heat, some pushed us to spend more time outdoors, and others just looked really good… Whether they slot into ready-made categories or built out their own space in the market, our selections represent the state of the modern footwear industry, from minimal retro aesthetics to trail-ready tech.
So, after a summer spent trying to find some shade (and looking at what trainers people are wearing) we’ve put together the pairs that have led the pack this year. What’s worth noticing is that while they’ve definitely been the top picks of the summer, almost all of them have sticking power. That says a lot about the creativity and execution on display here: they dominated the summer but they’ll see out the rest of the year in your rotation, too.
Hybrids
For a while, it sort of felt like we’d exhausted the possibilities of trainers. We’d seen it all, we thought. That was until the designers behind the biggest names in footwear decided to ignore all the rules we thought existed around footwear design, mashing up dress shoes with trail-running soles and ballet pumps with vintage runners. Now, in 2026, the business of hybrids is booming. These are no longer just mock-ups or BTS sample pictures knocking around in forums, they’re real and they’re on-foot.
The Puma Speedcat Go Etoile is the perfect example of a hybrid shoe done well. The time-tested Speedcat silhouette already had a slim elegance to it, but with driving details replaced by a graceful ballet ribbon fastening, the pair takes on a whole new life without feeling forced.
Images of New Balance's 1890A surfaced months ago as an in-hand sample on Instagram. It was such an out-there design that we didn't really expect it to make it to shelves. Thankfully, it did. Blending a moccasin upper with a signature ABZORB sole unit, it probably shouldn't work, but it does.
It's a Stan Smith like you've never seen it before. Its sole unit has been effectively removed alongside a velcro strap in place of laces. No Stan Smith portrait, either. Somehow, it's still recognisable. That's the true test of an icon. Ballet-style refixes have been commonplace this season, but only a handful have really passed the test like this.
The Dad Shoe
Our appetite for dad shoes—otherwise known as revamped ‘90s and ‘00s runners—is not slowing down. Understated to the right degree, wildly comfortable, and versatile enough to work with everything in your wardrobe, it’s no real surprise that pairs like the ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 have become an unshakeable presence in the 2026 rotation.
Whether it's stealing headlines as a collaboration with names like JJJound or simply in minimal mainline colourways like this, the ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 is the platonic ideal of a dad shoe.
The ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16 first hit the market in 2014 but was fished back out of the archive last year. This chromed-out colour palette emphasises the athletic roots of the design without feeling complicated or cluttered.
Tech
Trail running and outdoor activities like camping and climbing have come to define our era from a style perspective. Against that backdrop, techy pairs like those from Salomon, New Balance, and Nike feel charged up for the foreseeable. While AI and doomscrolling dominate life indoors, these hard-wearing pairs ask us to get out and touch grass. Obey them.
The New Balance 1954R steers clear on the brand's signature greyscale palette for something meaner. In all-black, the panelled upper feels aggressive and ready for action.
Salomon's XT range has arguably been the winner of the past few years in terms of footwear. The techy design is built for all terrain and with pairs like this yellow XT-4 beauty on offer, is it any surprise everyone's still wearing them?
The Nike Goadome Low is a classic that has stood the test of time. Debuting in the early 2000s, it became a cult classic in New York thanks to its any-weather build. We're seeing it creep back into rotations as a transitional pair which looks set to hold a spot throughout autumn & winter.
Retro & Minimal
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The footwear industry has been living by this motto for decades, with lightweight retro releases outdoing chunky future-facing silhouettes every season. As soles continue to shrink down, our appetite for barely-there silhouettes is only growing. This is true across men's and women's styles, with pared-back canvas editions becoming a daily fixture.
Few shoes come with as much subcultural history as the Vans Authentic. It's a shoe that can walk into any room & it's been back in a big way this summer. Throw them on with literally any outfit and they'll look good.
The first shoe that Nike ever released. The Moon Shoe took a brief hiatus from first use at the 1972 Olympics until Jacquemus revived the silhouette last year. This summer, the silhouette got a mainline release and has been one of the shoes of the season.
The signature shoe of NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar originally launched in 1978 as a court-ready high-top. It's since lost its ankle collar and, this season, got a scrunchy satin rework.
