Dad sneakers are suddenly back in fashion – just like back in 2014
Dad sneakers from 2014 are back in style – here's how to style them now.
For Cecilie Bahnsen's Spring/Summer 2026 show at Copenhagen Fashion Week, the designer sent a flock of models in airy, cream-colored dresses across the bare concrete of an industrial site in Refshaleøen. On their feet? Chunky white and silver Asics sneakers, the kind you might have worn for exercise in the '90s.
It makes sense that the models wore Asics; after all, the fashion house regularly collaborates with the Japanese activewear brand. But that wasn't the only time I've seen chunky dad sneakers lately. Along with all the sleek "Speedcats" from Puma and the "Collapse" from Prada, there seems to be an unexpected revival of those sneakers named after dads from the '90s. Whether New Balance, Asics , or Nike "V5 RNR," the dad sneaker is becoming cool again—and not just the eye-catching Asics "Gel-Kinetic Fluent," but also the simple models in gray and white.
The whole thing feels like it's from the early 2010s —which is probably part of its appeal. Those old enough to remember 2014 will be familiar with the term "normcore." It was coined by trend forecasters and quickly adopted as a catchall phrase to describe a "normal style" with good basics. "Sometime last summer, I realized that from behind, I couldn't tell whether the pedestrians in Soho were art students or tourists," Fiona Duncan wrote for "The Cut" at the time.
Are the 2010s already experiencing a comeback?But has enough time passed that this style is already on the rise again? Yes, probably... Kids and teenagers are already raving about iPhone 4s and Instagram filters from that era, and are wearing skinny jeans and hot pants again. My colleague Daniel Rodgers dug out his 2017 Balenciaga "Triple S" sneakers for Fashion Week in January and wrote: "Looking terrible—or in this case, just cheesy—is actually a very liberating thing." However, I don't necessarily believe (in terms of street style) that we're seeing a resurgence of normcore style.
Of course, the resurgence of the dad sneaker could also be due, at least in part, to the continued hype surrounding Asics. According to the Stock-X mid-year trend report, Asics continues to be the fastest-growing footwear brand, up 71 percent this year, with the Gel-1130 being the best-selling model. And when a silhouette becomes a hype, similar versions usually follow (as we saw with the Sambas). "This season, we're seeing a definite shift toward functional designs characterized by sleek, dynamic uppers and innovative sole structures," Anissa Jaffrey, head of PR and collaborations at Asics SportStyle Europe, told British Vogue earlier this year.
I have to say: I think it's kind of cool. I like sneakers that actually look like sneakers—not like lace-ups or ballet flats. I want to be able to walk—no, run—to a bus in them. And they're not just meant to be worn for exercise, with leggings and socks pulled up, but the way God intended them: with a zip-up fleece, mom jeans, and a fanny pack.
Here you can find trendy dad sneakers to shopThis article originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk .
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