The New Crop of Sneakers Is Here — & It’s More ’90s Than Ever

In the world of sneakers, there’s nothing like a good comeback. “With reissues, there’s always a focus on looking back, paying homage to old silhouettes, reworking them and making them new,” says Toronto-based blogger, Hawley Dunbar. Although there’s still a clear obsession with the ’80s, according to Dunbar, everything ’90s is at the forefront of the flashback trend.

A true sneakerhead and half of the Sidewalk Hustle blogging duo, Dunbar has some clear favourites too. “It’s an obvious one, but I love what Nike did with the deconstruction of the Off-White 10,” she says. “There’s crazy embellishments, they turned them inside out, did see-through fabrics, and gave a ton of lace options, which is not typical for a Nike shoe.” Another one of her top picks is the Adidas Originals Falcon sneakers. “They really targeted them at women,” explains Dunbar. “They made the most amazing colour combos, so much so that guys were trying to get them in huge women’s sizes, which is super rare,” she continues. And if it’s comfort you’re after, Dunbar has the shoe for you too. “Reebok Aztreks are more of a ’90s silhouette, but you feel like you’re walking on a cloud,” she says. With some fashion sneakers, they’re tight and narrow or don’t fit properly, says Dunbar, but not so for this pair.

When it comes to styling, Dunbar starts every outfit by thinking about her sneakers first. “If you’re just wearing your normal jeans and t-shirt on the regular, you can throw on a sneaker like a statement dad shoe or something really flashy, and it changes the vibe of it completely,” she says. Put simply, “it pulls everything together.” While jumpsuits and sportswear are always go-tos, Dunbar doesn’t mind looking to pop culture either. “Wearing tights, a big t-shirt and a cross-body bag over it with chunky sneakers is channelling Kim K a little bit,” she says.

Ready to go back in time? Keep clicking for seven pairs of the best reissued sneakers and cue the nostalgia.