How the Deconstructed Trend Took the Sneaker Industry by Storm

There’s no doubt that if you’re seriously into sneakers, after a while you start to notice trends. From the stealthy-looking runners of the 2010s right through to the recent chunky sneaker hype, there’s always something or the other at the forefront of the market. More recently, we’ve noticed a brand-new hype category developing right in front of us. While it hasn’t happened overnight, the slow but steady build-up of deconstructed sneakers is seemingly at its peak. Shoes intentionally made to look unfinished are currently populating the shelves of retailers across the globe - and they’re selling fast!

Let’s rewind all the way back to 2017, just before Virgil Abloh was set to release his first ever collaborative project with Nike, dubbed “The 10”. This package was one of the most hyped releases the world had ever seen, and not just because the Off-White designer had used legendary silhouettes - in fact, he’d done so much more than that.

Virgil completely tore apart every single sneaker in the collection. Ten iconic pairs that sneakerheads know and love were deconstructed to their very core and rebuilt entirely using new materials and patterns. While each pair was still quintessentially recognisable, Abloh had dismantled thousands of hours of hard work put in by the original Nike designers. The reason this collaboration was so successful was due to the fact that everyone’s favourite sneakers had been totally reinvented.

We’re of the firm belief that "The 10" sparked a whole new trend that has seemingly shot to popularity in the last three years.

While "The 10" may have kick-started this hype, Virgil was definitely not the first designer to utilise this method. In fact, other Nike collaborators have had their fair share at reinventing classic silhouettes. Let’s take Errolson Hugh of Acronym fame for example - in 2015 he set to work on one of the all time classics; the Air Force 1. Designed by Bruce Kilgore in 1982, the AF1 has long since been a fan favourite and has remained virtually unchanged since its debut. Errolson injected his signature utilitarian flair without a shadow of a doubt, totally modernising the model by adding in a functional zip that ran right down the lateral side.

Once again, this limited edition collaboration was a total sell out and now frequently pops up on the resale market for up to triple the original retail price. Another high-profile example of this that’s definitely worth a mention here is Maison Margiela’s Deconstructed Runner that also launched in 2015. It’s often hailed one of the worst-looking sneakers of all time, although it’s undoubtedly partially responsible for the current hype train, after all, Virgil Abloh himself was even pictured wearing this crazy pair!

Let’s focus on the present day once more, where it’s clear these past efforts have had a serious impact. So many high heat sneakers as of late have mixed-up familiar silhouettes, and even created brand new hybrid pairs that we’ve come to know and love over time. Travis Scott’s iconic Air Jordan 1 collaboration from 2018 showcases the rapper's creative side, with the star reversing the instantly-recognisable Swoosh logo for a refreshed look, while sacai’s highly-coveted second Nike collaboration involved creating a brand-new shape by fusing together elements from two vintage runners, the LDV and the Waffle Racer.

It’s not just hyped sneakers that are jumping on this bandwagon either, it seems that general releases are tapping into the trend more than ever recently, with adidas launching two reimagined versions of the Superstar (the WS1 and WS2) as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the legendary shoe. Nike are not far behind either, they recently launched the Air Max 2090 that takes all of the most-favoured elements of the AM90 and reworks them into a brand-new contemporary lifestyle model.

The trend doesn’t stop with brands and retailers either, it only takes a bit of digging on Instagram to discover some of the world’s best sneaker design studios that are pioneering this trend. The Amsterdam-based Studio Hagel shot to fame in 2018 after showcasing heavily-modified classics (although it’s no secret they worked as design consultants for Off-White…), while London-based artist and sneaker fanatic Helen Kirkum has also amassed a serious following and landed the chance to work in partnership with adidas through her prolific custom work!

There really is no predicting if or when this trend will grind to a halt, although it’s safe to say for the time being we’re more than enjoying it! While timeless designs and iconic silhouettes should not necessarily be tampered with, at the same time, if this had never of happened we’d be missing out on a hell of a lot of great pairs!