Chloé’s luxury trainers; and how historic brands like Saint-Louis and Puiforcat stay relevant
Along, button-down shirtdress skims the length of one model; another sports a polo with forest green sequins and a leather stripe; and a third dons high-waisted fitted flares paired with a mocha peacoat.
Chloé’s pre-fall 2018 collection perfectly captures the French label’s innate philosophy of freespiritedness, infused this time with an equestrian twist, as evidenced in the models’ footwear. All save for one saunter down the runway in pointed lace-up leather boots. However, for her favourite look, creative director Natacha Ramsay-Levi sent out a model in a pair of cropped pants with leg-warmers, paired with a checkered coat and Chloé’s new leather, nylon and canvas high-tops (pictured).
Luxury sneakers are the new Louboutins. From Ermenegildo Zegna and Valentino to Gucci, Lanvin and Louboutin himself, designers are leaping onboard the trainer bandwagon. This style of footwear is now perfectly acceptable in almost all walks of life, from beach to boardroom.
While the shoe’s sporty functionality remains the domain of the likes of Nike, Adidas and Puma – which have their own high-end iterations – consumers in the UAE are notoriously brand-conscious, and many are gravitating towards trainers with designer names affixed to them. Enter Chloé’s Sonnie sneaker.
According to a statement released by the maison, the Sonnie was created to signal in the era of women who are determined to “move through life with a forward momentum”. Available in both high- and low-top styles, the shoes feature a sloped silhouette, crossstrap detailing and a moulded bi-colour sole. The contoured nylon panelling of the upper is rendered in a combination of suede calfskin, mesh and hardwearing neoprene, while the Chloé logo is embossed on the back and embroidered on the tongue. The shoe, available in four colourways, is easy to slip on, aided by a back loop rather than the usual front straps.
The decision to introduce the style in this particular collection was deliberate. From her coffee-making days at Balenciaga and her time at Louis Vuitton as Nicolas Ghesquière’s right-hand woman, Ramsay-Levi has been a self-professed fan of pre-fall collections, which she says are about well-thought-out pieces that “have to work into a wardrobe without screaming what season they’re from”.
Accordingly, in a bid to integrate seamlessly into every woman’s wardrobe, the Sonnie is available in all-over white with accents of athletic green and sepia red; neutral beige with white, sand, sepia red and faded orange; earthy brown with white, yellow and burgundy; and dark khaki with antique purple, beige, faded orange and collegiate blue.
The Sonnie sneaker will be available from this month at the Chloé boutique in The Dubai Mall, and retails for €495 (Dh2,110).