Is this the edgiest sneaker trend of the year?
17/3/2025
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
This year, sneakers are reaching new heights – literally. Laced up to just below the knee, boxing boots are ready to rumble.
A new trend has entered the ring – and it’s almost as eye-catching as Mike Tyson’s face tattoo. Sneakers laced up so high that the term high-top is a gross understatement. I’m talking about boxer boots.
Source: Instagram @atmos_japan
Source: Adidas/Nowre
Just like boxing, fashion loves a triumphant comeback. Boxer boots were already a thing in the late noughties. My colleague Laura Scholz owned two pairs as a teenager. I was either too young to buy my own shoes or too far away from the big city to even notice the hype. But now I see it everywhere, at least online.
Adidas hits us with yet another trend
As with so many sneaker trends in recent seasons, Adidas can be identified as the breeding ground. With the Japan VH and Japan H, Box Hog and Rasant models, the German sporting goods manufacturer has delivered several ultra-high-top sneakers. No one knows if the models were inspired by martial arts rather than racing or running, and no one cares! Their visual likeness extends to Converse knee-high chucks, for example.
Source: Instagram @iamrheabue
Source: Instagram @irisloveunicorns
The figurehead of the boxer boot trend is Jennie Kim, member of Blackpink, successful solo artist and one of the most relevant trendsetters in contemporary pop culture. The singer has nearly 87 million followers on Instagram, making her account one of the top 50 worldwide. Whatever the 29-year-old wears sells out within a very short space of time – and she made appearances to press events wearing both the Box Hog 2.0 and the Rasant. Jennie also proved how stylish the Adidas Japan VH can look to over 158 million people so far in the music video for Mantra.
Runway instead of boxing ring
In keeping with the trickle-up effect, the boxer boot has also made it onto swanky catwalks. Designer Stella McCartney presented a luxury version of the Rasant adorned with fringes at Paris Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2025 collections.
Source: Adidas
Meanwhile, Dior sent its models down the catwalk in a cross between a Roman sandal and boxing boots (ugly, google at your own risk!) and Ann Demeulemeester showcased two types of lace-up shoes with a martial arts flair: an athletic version, more sneaker than boot, and a leather version, more boot than sneaker.
Source: Launchmetrics/Spotlight
Source: Launchmetrics/Spotlight
Be it sporty, punk or elegant, calf and knee-high lace-up shoes are statement pieces that stand out without automatically falling into the ugly shoe category. A very welcome change!
Header image: Adidas
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
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