Top News

From performance footwear to streetwear staple and now a luxury status symbol, the sneaker has undergone one of fashion's most remarkable transformations. Today, maisons such as Celine, Miu Miu, Balenciaga and Dior are reimagining the sneaker through premium craftsmanship, exclusive collaborations and runway-ready designs, blurring the boundaries between sport, streetwear and high fashion.

Why luxury wants sneakers Sneakers have become one of fashion's most sought-after categories, making them impossible for luxury brands to ignore. That mass appeal, Suhana Sethi, sneakerhead and digital creator, says, is exactly why luxury brands are investing in the category. “Sneakers are no longer just functional footwear but a fashion statement. They can be styled in a variety of ways, whether it's formal tailoring or casual wear.”

Further, traditional distinctions between luxury, streetwear and sportswear are increasingly disappearing, with consumers mixing categories more naturally than ever before, says, Rajat Khurana, managing director, ASICS India and South Asia. “The rise of sneakers in high fashion reflects how modern fashion has become far more fluid and culturally driven. We are especially seeing younger consumers place greater value on individuality and cultural relevance over formal fashion codes. This shift has pushed sneakers from being product-led purchases to identity-led choices, making them one of the most influential categories shaping global fashion today.”

A gateway to luxury Luxury sneakers have also become an accessible entry point into the world of high fashion. Anchit Kapil, co-founder, CrepDog Crew, says, “What luxury houses entering the sneaker space did was give the entire category a new kind of cultural permission. It told the world that a sneaker could sit alongside a tailored suit. Luxury validated sneakers and sneakers democratised luxury.”