While many gravitate towards a pair of chunky combat boots as soon as the skies start to turn, the trainer fanatics among us try and stick it out for the long haul. While they might not always be the most weatherproof footwear out there (you’ll know this is you have ever tried to wear canvas shoes in the rain), the universal appeal of trainers’ cool and comfort-led aesthetic makes them a constant year-round staple, even when the winter weather hits.
While many associate trainer aficionados with waiting in queues overnight for the latest drop, the pandemic has seen a shift in collector culture, seeing many people turn to Instagram sellers to cop the best in vintage trainer styles. You only have to look through the near 70k posts relating to New Balance 990’s to understand the cult power that classic styles hold, with the 1982 original recently becoming a hit amongst normcore crowds for its greyscale colour palette and no-nonsense design.
One Instagram account fuelling our old school shoe obsession is @trainer.spotting, an online archive of ‘historic sneaker moments.’ Pulling together paparazzi photos, magazine shoots and film stills from across the ’80s, ’90s and early noughties, the account platforms the trainer choices of everyone from Naomi Campbell to Princess Diana.
Having personally collected streetwear imagery for several years, the account’s founder Sergey Velsin decided to make his hobby public in 2018. While the journalist claims it’s impossible to choose his favourite archive image, there is one that stands out as a moment in trainer history. “I really love the iconic Stéphane Sednaoui’s portrait of Björk wearing Reebok Instapump Fury in bed. It’s a beautiful and controversial 1990s picture featuring a beautiful and controversial 1990s sneaker,” says Sergey.
While many of the styles are now sadly out of rotation, this Insta feed is the perfect place to soak up inspiration for your next trainer purchase – many of the kicks are still available through a variety of new reimagined iterations. To take a peek at the celebrity favourites and find out where you can shop the modern-day equivalents, take a look through the slideshow ahead…
