On February 19, the fashion world lost one of the greats. Style savant – and Chanel creative director – Karl Lagerfeld passed away at the ripe old age of 85. Although Lagerfeld will be best remembered for his influence in haute couture and high fashion, his effect on the sneaker world was perhaps equally as profound.
Karl was responsible for connecting sneakers and haute couture
In the year 2000, when the worlds of sportswear and high fashion were purposefully segregated, Lagerfeld disrupted the status quo by sending models down the runaway in Chanel-branded Reebok InstaPumps. It was an unexpected move from the man who infamously claimed sweatpants to be a sign the weaver had lost control of their lives, but his co-sign served to acknowledge that sneakers had well and truly transcended beyond mere performance-focused footwear – especially when it came to Steven Smith’s avant-garde InstaPump.
Sadly, the Chanel x Reebok InstaPumps would never hit retail – remaining unicorns amongst Reebok fanatics – but their very conception would serve to kickstart a new wave of thinking in the sneaker industry, one that has only gained mainstream traction in recent years.
Off-White x Nike Air Max 90
Following Lagerfeld’s surprise Pump debut, high fashion would attempt to penetrate the lucrative sneaker-focused streetwear market to varying degrees of success, with Kanye’s assortment of Louis Vuitton collaborations in the late 2000s one of the definite highlights. While attractive and well made, sneakers releases by the high fashion giants always seemed to be playing catch up with contemporary sneaker trends.
Chanel’s Reebok Instapump were a before and after in the connection between fashion and streetwear
Fortunately, in recent years, high fashion has begun to play to its strengths. Balenciaga pushed the envelope with the Triple S, proving a thirst for the aesthetically adventurous, and other such brands – rooted in tradition – have defied convention to unleash a new wave of experimentation.
Nike Air Shoot Around by Jerry Lorenzo
In a cyclical twist of irony. It is now the sportswear manufacturers that are playing catch up, inviting the most forward-thinking designers from the world of high fashion to reinvent the sneakers for the masses. From the likes of Alexander Wang and Yohji Yamamoto over at adidas to Jerry Lorenzo and Virgil Abloh at Nike, sportswear giants are dropping their focus on performance to accept sneakers of all shapes and sizes.
adidas by Alexander Wang AW Reissue Run
While Lagerfeld is no longer with us, his influence on sneakers will long be felt. His InstaPumps remain unicorns, but that didn’t stop him from experimenting with sneakers right until the very end. One of his last contributions was a Vans capsule collection that only slightly altered classics like the Sk8-Hi and Slip-On, proving that, for decades, sneakers have just been one degree away from high fashion. It just took the right person to realise this: Karl Lagerfeld.
Karl Lagerfeld x Vans 2017 capsule collection