10 of the best technical sneakers

If you’ve been watching your favorite street-style stars closely, you won’t have been able to avoid noticing that fashion’s obsession with sneakers has evolved. No longer a streamlined finishing touch, the most-wanted shapes right now are oversized, masculine and technical. Yes, they take a bit of getting your head around, and some of them tread a fine line between ugly and appealing, but that’s what makes them a trend, so we suggest you embrace it.

Needless to say, the big sports brands – Nike, Adidas et al – have the look well and truly nailed, complete with genuine high-tech specifications that mean you could probably run a marathon in them, should you be so inclined. But given that you’re more likely to be wearing them wandering around the city on a Saturday afternoon, you’re free to look at the raft of luxury labels that have run with the theme.

Balenciaga has been pioneering the trend with oversized sneakers that verge on orthopedic, and everyone from Valentino, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen to Ganni and Stella McCartney have added pairs to their line-up, with varying combinations of mesh and mega-cushioned soles, with the occasional logo or sparkly embellishment thrown in for good measure.