To the untrained eye, the streets of style capitals like New York City, Copenhagen, and Paris resemble a Swan Lake rehearsal this spring. A ballet sneaker trend—characterized by a soft, curved toebox and slipper-like silhouette—has women wrapped in its ribbon laces. The phenomenon isn't limited to style capitals, either. Global searches for ballet sneakers rose 1,300% in the past quarter, according to fashion search engine Lyst's Q1 Index report.
But if shoppers think these retro sneakers—or “sneakerinas,” as the internet has dubbed them—are the everyday equivalent of going en pointe, they might be a little off balance. “Ha! These would not have met the dress code at the Indiana University pre-college ballet program,” says fashion writer, critic, and lifelong dancer Alison S. Cohn, after I send her a lineup of ballet sneakers from Adidas, Puma, and Loewe for a real ballerina’s take.
