Fashion: Band on the run

New-season running shoes will get you motivated for the year ahead. Photo / iStock

Go get ’em. New-season running shoes will get you motivated for the year ahead.

It's a new year, so naturally we've looked at some of the best sports shoes to get you motivated. Like most sportswear these days, the line between function and aesthetics has been blurred.

High-end designers and sports-brand collaborations are nothing new but in recent years have gained much more traction, thanks to the growing athleisure category that everyone keeps harping on about, but which sees no sign of waning (the term athleisure was added to the Merriam Webster dictionary last November).

Adidas Y-3 autumn 2016 campaign by Harley Weir.

More than a mere passing trend, sportswear as everyday wear extends to footwear as people's lives become more upwardly mobile, much busier.

Adidas has cornered the market for its high-end collaborations with respected fashion designers such as Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto, the latter having collaborated with the sportswear giant since 2003 with the Y-3 arm of the business. The beautiful Adidas Y-3 qasa Elle lace sneaker for men (#2) is perhaps one for the hard-core sneaker fanatics out there, with its sleek monochromatic designs looking more appropriate for a stroll down Ponsonby Rd than a trail run. However, it drives home just how seamless the distinction between sportswear and everyday wear has become.

Cutting-edge knit technology has also been a big part of versatile sneakers, with most sports shoe brands developing their own versions. Nike has mastered the knit trainer, producing lightweight options that feel almost like a second skin.

The updated knit technology options from the brand are available in cool blue tones, as brands gradually veer away from the often garish fluoro colours of recent seasons, for a return to more traditional colours such as blue, burgundy, black, and grey.

MEN

1. Nike Zoom Speed TR3 sneaker, $180, from Footlocker.
2. Adidas Y-3 qasa Elle lace sneakers, $590, from Zambesi.
3. Asics Gel Lyte sneakers, 475, from Platinum Sports Co.
4. New Balance 690vl sneakers $150.
5. Nike Lite Run 3 sneakers, $150, from Shoe Connection.
6. Brooks Glycerin 13 sneakers, $300, from Shoe Science.
7. Mizuno Wave Enigma 5 sneakers, $259.90, from Shoe Clinic.

WOMEN

1. Adidas by Stella McCartney sneakers, $270, from Platinum Sports Co.
2. Asics Gel Noosa sneakers, $240.
3. Adidas Adizero Boost 2.0 sneakers, $239.90, from Shoe Clinic.
4. New Balance Vazee Rush sneakers, $170.
5. Puma Ignite sneakers, $170, from Rebel Sport.
6. Adidas Ultra Boost sneakers, $250.
7. Athletic Propulsion Labs sneakers, about $213, from Net-a-Porter.

Stockists

• Adidas
• Asics
• Footlocker
• Net-a-Porter
• New Balance
• Nike
• Platinum Sports Co (09) 302 1866
• Puma
• Rebel Sport (09) 375 2880
• Shoe Connection
• Shoe Clinic (09) 360 6032
• Shoe Science (09) 623 0538
• Zambesi (09) 303 1701

For more fashion go to viva.co.nz.