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The “Ugliest” Sneakers Are Officially Back: The 2026 Fashion Trend You’ll Either Hate – or Love

Photo: Janja Prijatelj / Aiart

Sneakers, which for many years were synonymous with bad taste, are now once again dictating fashion trends. Sneakers, which we have long ridiculed, are back in fashion. Is this trend nostalgia, provocation or simply a fatigue from perfection? The answer is not clear, but these are definitely the "must-have" sneakers of 2026.

Fashionable Sneakers 2026: If modern fashion has made anything clear in recent years, it's the fact that old trends They no longer come quietly. They no longer come through fingers, but confidently take over the catwalks, streets and social networks.

This time, a piece that marked the beginning of the 2010s and at the same time divided the fashion world is returning to the spotlight: sneakers with a hidden full heel and Velcro, better known as wedge sneakers.

The trend was unexpectedly given additional impetus by Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of Beyoncé, who appeared in a burgundy version of these sneakers at a Los Angeles Lakers game. With this, Isabel Marant sneakers, the Bekett model, symbolically moved from the wardrobes of famous adult women to the style of the younger generation – and were given a new life.

 

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The sneakers that always divided opinions

The Beckett model was first introduced in 2011 and became a global hit in record timeThe hidden platform, prominent tongue, and signature Velcro closure helped them sell over 260,000 pairs. Then – almost overnight – they disappeared.

Minimalism, which has dictated the rules for the past decade, has become safe, expected and – ironic – boringAnd when fashion loses its sharpness, it starts looking for pieces that provoke discomfort.


High-top sneakers have always been that kind of thing. A hybrid that never quite decided what it wanted to be: sports shoes or fashion shoes. It is this ambiguity that makes them both problematic and interesting. At a time when the line between day and evening, between comfort and elegance, is blurring, such visual paradoxes seem surprisingly relevant.

The most desirable sneakers of 2026: New generation, same model

It is also important that their comeback did not happen through the classic fashion show route. They first appeared where fashion actually lives today – on street, on social networks and on resale platforms.

Younger generation she didn't approach them with irony or distance, but without historical baggage. For them, these sneakers aren't "wrong" — they're simply expressive.


Maybe that's why they're making a comeback. Not because they're universally beautiful or flattering, but because... require a position. Either you accept them or you reject them — there's almost no middle ground. And in a time when fashion is often diluted by like algorithms, a piece that triggers a clear reaction is almost subversive.

It seems that high-heeled sneakers will once again take the top spot in the fashion scene in 2026 – whether you like it or not. Fashion has decided: ugly is cool again.

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From 2004 we research urban trends and inform our community of followers daily about the latest in lifestyle, travel, style and products that inspire with passion. From 2023, we offer content in major global languages.