Like it or not, chunky sneakers are here and they aren’t going anywhere. Not that they could even if they wanted to, mind you. To the casual observer, it may have come as a bit of a shock when the fashion elite suddenly appeared to be taking their style cues from Sporty Spice in a pair of Sketchers circa 1995, but it’s actually a pretty natural progression. Think of it as footwear’s answer to the loosening and widening of silhouettes we’ve been seeing in fashion for some time now.

After several years of clean, white minimalism and slim, sock-like fits in the world of trainers, it was only a matter of time before things swung around and began going in the opposite direction. The Raf Simons X Adidas Ozweego was one of the first chunky sneakers to really kick things up a gear, but it was with the release of Balenciaga’s much-hyped Triple S sneaker that this chunky sneakers craze really took flight.

“In terms of fashion, footwear was about low profile, simple shoes, like Stan Smiths, Roshe Runs or Common Projects Achilles Lows,” explains Andrew Brines, buyer at renowned premium fashion e-tailer, Oki-Ni. “It didn’t take long for designers to take notice of what the performance brands were producing.”

The Best Chunky Sneakers You Can Buy

So, if we have to hop on board the chunky sneakers trend, we can at least do so in the best available styles. These are the best sneakers at every price point from some of the best sneaker brands, if you want to join the chunky sneakers club.

Balenciaga Triple S Chunky Sneakers

Okay, let’s get it out of the way. You can’t talk about chunky sneakers without mentioning Balenciaga. Since the appointment of Vetements boss Demna Gvasalia as creative director back in late 2015, the luxury Spanish label has become one of the most forward-thinking names in fashion and the now-iconic Triple S sneaker is without doubt its crowning glory.