Sport has been winning big in fashion, buoyed by its perennial legacies, tight-knit communities, and the almost mythical talent of its athletes—all of which can evoke the same fantastical allure of luxury fashion when done right. There is a sense of theatre, ritual, and belonging inherent to sport that fashion has long understood and, increasingly, sought to harness. Jerseys become signifiers of identity; trainers become collectibles; stadiums transform into stages; and athletes themselves have become fashion’s most enduring muses.
Football, in particular, has taken a commanding stance. From the electric atmosphere surrounding one of the most competitive FIFA World Cups in recent years—with underdogs such as Norway, Cape Verde, and Paraguay making their mark, and an epic semi-final between England and France—to the now-ongoing Premier League season, the sport has become an increasingly fertile ground for fashion’s imagination. The appeal extends beyond the pitch: from technical fabrics and team colours to archival jerseys and performance footwear, football’s visual language has become increasingly legible within the broader fashion conversation.
Fashion brands, particularly those that have evolved from athleisure into lifestyle, have taken note. Adidas’s hot pink Solar Turbo cleat took over the pitch in the World Cup with a flurry of teams seen sporting the shoe (so much so that the brand even released a public apology for the plethora of the hot pink cleats). It worked, as Adidas reported a record-breaking net sales for that quarter, its highest quarterly revenue on record.
It is unsurprising, then, to see that the cleat silhouette has slipped its way into the mainstream vernacular. Of course, the jagged studs that give traditional cleats its distinctive character are not exactly suited to everyday function. But strip the silhouette back and the cleat influence is clear: the low profile, gently sloped toe, elongated proportions, and a streamlined upper. These details lend themselves naturally to the current appetite for slimline footwear, while also tapping into fashion’s ongoing fascination with hybridisation—designs that borrow liberally from functional wardrobes while existing primarily as objects of desire.
It is not quite the Golden Boot, but for the shoe aficionado, it is as close as it gets—as the cleat silhouette nods at fashion’s growing penchant for blurring the lines to create borrowed forms that draw from two distinct fields. The ballet sneaker rode (or is still riding) its wave, but perhaps another silhouette is snaking its way through. Below, a Vogue-curated selection of cleat-inspired sneakers worth adding to your arsenal.
