So, what is the ballerina sneaker trend?

WORDS Cassandra Dimitroff PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy brands PUBLISHED Tue, 24 Jun 2025 - 1:15 pm

You’ve heard of balletcore. You’ve heard of the ugly sneaker. Now, imagine the two sharing a wardrobe – and a shoe rack. Enter the sneakerina, 2025’s most delightfully dissonant hybrid: part ballerina flat, part street-savvy sneaker. Equal parts sporty and romantic, the ballerina sneaker is less of a compromise and more of a statement – and Bella Hadid, Chloë Sevigny and Dua Lipa have already signed their names on the dotted line.

Simone Rocha might have lit the first spark back in 2021, but this season, the trend is now fully ablaze. Her Fall 2025 collection paired crystal-embellished satin uppers with thick, technical soles, while Wales Bonner’s take for Spring 2025 leaned into coquette minimalism – Mary Jane straps, rounded silhouettes, and leopard print. Louis Vuitton was next to the barre, unveiling a logo-laced take at their runway. And Balenciaga have now joined the movement, combining forces with PUMA for a satin Speedcat ballerina in hues of pastel pink, baby blue, black, and white.

Why now? Post-ballet flat revival and deep into gorpcore’s late stages, the 'sneakerina' bridges two desires: comfort and character. Unlike your classic trainers, these feel intentional, elevated, and ironically demure. Think rubber soles with girlish ribbon laces, mesh panels on satiny uppers. Think JW Pei’s Caitlin Lace-Up, Miu Miu’s nylon Mary Janes, or Acne Studios’ futuristic metallics.

And while it may have started on the runway, the sneakerina is quickly picking up pace on the streets. On TikTok it's been dubbed “balletpunk,” citing the look’s ability to soften even the most utilitarian outfits – think cargos, trenches, and tech jackets. On the flip side, it’s also breathing life back into slip dresses, bloomers, and all things coquette. There’s a satisfying tension here.