The Biggest Men’s Footwear Trends For Spring/Summer 2017

Men’s shoe trends change at a pace that’s more baby steps than seismic shifts. Sure, weekly trainer drops can put spikes in the graph but, by and large, what you slide your feet into this season won’t be massively different to what you lace up the next.

That’s not to say, of course, that they won’t change at all. For SS17, designers might’ve shown styles that won’t necessarily make the cut for production (stacked loafers, multi-colored velcro-strapped sandals and shoe-sandals – ‘shandals’?), but that doesn’t mean they haven’t given shoe design a nudge along in a new direction.

Here are the trends to know to stay one step ahead of the game.

Techy Trainers, Clean Sneakers

We could do a guide to trainer trends all of its own (actually, we already have), but in the interest of covering all footwear bases here, we’ll keep this section succinct. There are – according to Louise Godding, men’s buyer at Dune London – two main trends making tracks in trainers this season.

The first is all about giving old-school runners a welcome update. “Technical fabrics such as mesh, neoprene and knitted nylons are taking a front seat on traditional sports [styles] such as the runner, [helping] them look fresh,” she says. Where the likes of Nike and Adidas boldly tread, pretty much every other brand and retailer follow – with performance-focused sock silhouettes and panelled trainers taking first place this spring/summer.

Secondly, minimal sneakers are still making their presence felt. “Clean cup sole [sneakers] with pared-back styling and premium buttery leather uppers remain key for a more luxe look, and are great for giving tailoring a more contemporary twist,” says Godding.

If you’re tired of turning up to parties in the same pair of squeaky clean white kicks as every other reasonably style-woke guy, then switch to suede – all the luxury of leather, none of the ubiquity (well, yet). “Suede sneakers are our hero-buy this season,” says Olly Smith, a junior buyer at Harvey Nichols. “Muted and dusty colors contrast perfectly with the white rubberized soles [making them the ideal] understated shoes to take you from work to play.”