17 best men's trainers that will become your next staple shoes, from high street to designer buys
There’s been an explosion in men’s trainers and there’s now more choice than ever before.
High street designers, luxury fashion brands and everyone in between is embracing the trainer trend, which is great news for sneakerheads.
When it comes to choosing the right pair for you, looking at your current wardrobe, especially your favourite pieces, is a good place to start.
Think about styles and colourways that will compliment what you already love to wear, that can dress down smarter looks or elevate a simple outfit.
The following fashion trainers have been chosen with the following criteria in mind: style, comfort, quality and originality.
Applying these simple rules will help you find the perfect pair of trainers to suit your personal taste. So read on for a mix of options to suit a range of budgets.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Puma RS-X tracks trainers: £90, Puma
The RS-X trainers are right on trend but more understated than most other 'big ugly trainers' on the market. Puma’s designers have shown the perfect amount of restraint to make these trainers interesting without going overboard with the extraneous architectural touches. The sheer, aggressive profile looks great with tailored trousers, tracksuit bottoms or denim jeans. There’s a range of colourways to choose from, with an emphasis of pastel summer tones, however the red and orange colourway is our favourite.
Adidas SC premiere shoes: £89.95, Adidas
Adidas is celebrating the classic white leather trainer with a range of styles that present this classic material in a variety of innovative ways. Our favourite from the collection is the SC premiere shoes, inspired by the tennis sneaker but updated with a bold chunky midsole and upper with nubuck overlays, creating a multi-layered look. These stylish sneakers are great for dressing down a smarter look, or for someone with a more athletic style.
Acne Studios acne rockaway: £390, Acne Studios
Swedish brand Acne Studios has produced a stunning pair of trainers in the technical sneakers, which have an edgy aggressive silhouette and eye-catching bubble design on the midsole. The extra ankle support adds comfort and makes taking the shoes on and off a breeze. There’s a real attention to detail and wealth of creativity, from the suede work around the tongue to the sculptured rubber around the back of the midsole. The trainers, inspired by nineties American urban sportswear, are just as stylish worn with tracksuit bottoms as they are a tailored pair of trousers.
Bally champion trainers: £340, Bally
The champion shoe from Swiss luxury brand Bally is anything but bland. This sneaker, inspired by early Nineties tennis culture, comes in a vibrant choice of colourways including this summery mix of aquamarine, yellow and red. Made with soft calf leather they are very comfortable to wear, with plenty of support thanks to the robust design and shock absorbing EVA midsole. The tongue boasts an archival Bally tennis logo – a nice touch to round off a great trainer from an accomplished shoemaker.
New Balance 990v5 trainers: £180, New Balance
New Balance are famous for producing trainers that are just as popular with fashionistas as they are with their parents and when testing the latest in the line it’s easy to see why. The understated yet stylish 990v5 trainers look great in this cool grey colourway with black and silver accents. Chunkier than some of the other options on this list they are also one of the most comfortable and hard wearing, perfect with a pair of jeans or chinos.
Swims breeze tennis knit: £125, Swims
Norwegian brand Swims started out making galoshes to withstand Norway’s extreme seasons. Fast forward thirteen years and the brand is not only producing great galoshes but loafers, boots and outerwear too – all made to love the rain. The breeze tennis knit is an interesting take on the classic Adidas Stan Smith silhouette with a midsole that looks made from two separate pieces slotted together. The designers have cleverly used block colours to give this trainer a more graphic look, perfect for those with a bold sense of style.
Adidas by Raf Simons detroit runners: £238, Farfetch
The detroit runners won’t be for everyone but that’s the point. The shiny metallic silver midsoles are total head turners but also very dominating. These impeccably made trainers, from the ongoing collaboration between Adidas and designer Raf Simons (former creative director at both Christian Dior and Calvin Klein), boast a futuristic low-cut silhouette and are hard wearing thanks to the canvas upper. It might sound incongruous given the garish design but these more grown up trainers look great paired with a dark tailored suit.
Zara lace-up leather ankle boots: £59.99, Zara
The leather ankle boots from Zara are an utterly refreshing take on the iconic Converse high top trainers. Zara’s designers deserve a pat on the back for this stylish pair of trainers which look much more expensive than their high street price tag. The material interplay is fantastic as is the two tone supple white nappa leather upper and lovely asymmetric check black white and orange design on the heel.
A.P.C. teenage mary shoes: £210, A.P.C.
The teenage mary shoes from French fashion house A.P.C. are perfect for those who describe their style as understated chic. These springy trainers have a sportier feel than most of the other options on this list. The fluorescent yellow accents work well and accentuate the A.P.C. logo on the tongue. After all if you’re going to fork out on a pair of high fashion trainers then you want people to know, right? The mesh interior is very breathable and the wide set seven-hole lacing, shiny nylon and suede side insets are subtle design features that make this pair a worthy addition to any wardrobe.
Y-3 kaiwa sneakers: £330, Farfetch
Designer Yohji Yamamoto has become a household name since joining forces with German sportswear giant Adidas in 2003. Yamamoto’s brand Y-3 is considered one of the most avant-garde purveyors of high fashion sportswear and the kaiwa trainers are no exception. Hypebeasts will appreciate the technicality of these trainers, from the sculptural elements which separate the midsole from the upper to the oversized tongue and patchwork around the heel. The result is an eye-catching pair of trainers that have one foot planted in the present and one in the future.
Nike M2K Tekno: £89.95, Nike
Nike has a penchant for producing iconic trainer collections which in the past have included air max, air force and shox and with the tekno the American sportswear powerhouse has done it again. These trainers are based on the classic Nineties monarch line, but with a less rounded toe and contemporary design adjustments like an extraneous plastic mould that wraps around the heel. Made with real and synthetic leather the upper is layered to give the tekno trainers a complex and more modern look. Rest assured knowing that these trainers are likely to look just as cool decades from now.
Clae edwin sneakers: £90, Reiss
UK designers Reiss have elegant and affordable luxury nailed. They leave the show stoppers to other brands and focus on classic styles and silhouettes, high quality materials and funky prints. They’ve partnered with Los Angeles’ shoemakers Clae to stock the edwin sneakers, a worthy addition to any wardrobe that will compliment most styles. The trainers are made in the states and boast a super supportive all terrain Vibram rubber sole. There are three colourways to choose from: black, grey and, our favourite, green.
Naked Wolfe titan leather and mesh trainers: £190, Selfridges
Naked Wolfe is a footwear brand with twenty-something siblings Bronte and Cooper Mance at the creative helm. This family-run business is quickly becoming one of the most talked about fashion brands in the world. The likes of Gigi Hadid and Ariana Grande have been spotted wearing their designs and their men’s offering is no less impressive and luxurious. The titan leather and mesh trainers has a dynamic silhouette that looks permanently in motion, totally eye-catching and different from most of what’s out there.
Reebok club 1985 TV trainers: £69.95, Reebok
British sportswear brand Reebok has a long association with tennis, an affinity it celebrates with the court-inspired Club V 1985 TV trainer. The trainers have a leather upper and a timeless easy-to-wear style, while the EVA midsole provides lightweight cushioning. These affordable sneakers are subtle with the heritage Reebok Union Jack logo displayed on the side rather than the vector logo, introduced in 1986, a nice nod to the brand’s humble origins.
Veja x Lemaire aquashoe: £145.04, Veja
Veja has quickly emerged as one of the most talked about footwear brands thanks to its sustainable approach to design. The French brand makes vegan sneakers in a variety of styles like the Veja x Lemaire aquashoe, a collaboration with designer Christophe Lemaire. These trainers have a knitted polyester upper that cocoons the wearer’s feet and outer soles made with Brazilian wild rubber with plenty of traction. These trainers are great for someone who walks everywhere and very easy to take on and off thanks to the laceless design. The classic monochromatic jet black and white colourway will go with most outfits.
H&M leather trainers: £40, H&M
If labels aren’t your thing then these H&M trainers are perfect. The design is simple yet thoughtfully constructed, stylish and comfortable. These leather trainers look far more expensive than their high street price tag and the light beige colourway is fresh and clean - perfect for spring and summer. The designers have clearly wanted to create something with more impact than a fast fashion sneaker and it shows.
Common Projects bball nubuck sneakers: £365, Mr Porter
The bball nubuck sneakers from Italian-American luxury shoemakers Common Projects are like Nike’s air force line except hand-made from Italian nappa leather. Despite the sporty name it’s unlikely you’ll want to wear these gorgeous smooth navy nubuck trainers on the court. The team at Common Projects have managed to create a shoe that’s both simple but with presence and sure to elevate most outfits while still being practical with a thick, supportive rubber sole and ventilated uppers for breathability.
The verdict: Men's trainers
If you’re looking to dip your toe into the fashion trainer trend then the Puma RS-X trainers are the way to go. They’re affordable, very comfortable and eye-catching to boot. If you already know your Balenciaga’s from your Bally’s then the Acne rockaway sneakers are a gorgeous pair to delight most design lovers.
