Style

Kicks Into Gear: The Hottest Sneakers for the Winter

Black Cats, Gold Diggers, the James Dean – if you’re a sneakers aficionado, you know the vocabulary has exploded since the days of Chuck Taylors or Air Jordans. A-list labels birthed the “ugly sneaker” trend with styles like Louis Vuitton’s now-iconic Archlight garnering both headlines and waiting lists, as well as the sock sneaker ubiquitous in so many collections – including Emporio Armani, which has embossed the sides of its high-top shoe in Lurex knit with a wing-like design that takes its cue from the label’s logo.

What’s most thrilling about designer kicks these days is watching how performance and technology are seamlessly blended with the DNA of high-end brands, from the legendary red and green Gucci stripe that adorns that label’s silver-sequined high-top sneaker to the Greek-key styling and the surprise of a Medusa head on the sole of Versace’s latest, the Trigreca sneaker, which also features a state-of-the-art cushioning system. With that in mind, it’s easier than ever to fall in love with a sneaker perfectly suited to your personal style. Check out this roundup of the season’s most sought-after kicks: