Whether you view trainers as utility footwear or deem them so valuable you’d never wear them, there’s no denying London is keen on its sneakers.
So what if you can only wear one pair at a time... there are seven days in a week and 365 days in a year so it’s time to get collecting at London’s best stores.
Just do it.
Having left London for a brief attempt at ‘finding itself’, Footpatrol is back in all its minimal caged glory. Arguably London’s one true legend in the field and one that hoards accounts from the big brands like trainer collectors hoard, er, trainers. It’s always good for something a bit different.
The Hideout might be beyond the pay packet of some of us but what you’ll find here is the holy grail of the trainer world, the collaboration. Stay cool, examine that pair of Vans and make sure it says Supreme beneath the Off The Wall tab. Yes? You’ve found it, so buy it, head home and put it on EBay. Kerrrrching! Not really, keep them and show your friends. Just don’t take them out in the rain!
Reissues of old classics are fine but when the market gets flooded it’s time to go back to the source and when we say source, The Other Side of the Pillow must have been hiding out at the Van Doren factory circa 1966. The sheer amount of original Vans piled up in this Hackney gem is enough to call it London’s Vans Mecca without falling foul of hyperbole. This store is a blessing.
Since Offspring is owned by the footwear retail behemoth, Office, it’s no surprise that they have access to some of the best trainers available on general release. Think Star Wars and Adidas collaborations and walls of Nike, Puma and Asics for boys and girls. Offspring also stock high-end labels such as Y-3, Common Projects and Jeremy Scott.
If it’s not a pop-up bar, restaurant or cinema then it’s a pop-up boutique and Nike’s was so well received they moved it round the corner and said, ‘Hey, you’re permanent!’ The graphics on show are luminous and people are digging this place but what of the product inside the shell? Quick Strike is king, meaning that the shoes are limited to the sweetest stores, 1948 being one such emporium and people will come to see Lunar, Free and Flywire like the wise men flocked to Christ.
If performance is the name of your game then you need Runners Need. Dealing in only the best footwear to assist in the art of running, this chain has locations across London. Staff will size you up to the specifications you require and send you on your way with exactly what you need for that next marathon.
Uber-stylish department store, Dover Street Market is not a trainer store as such. However, where hip style resides, so do the occasional exquisite trainers. You’ll always find styles that might not fit into regular high street stores and if nothing takes your fancy then just enjoy one of the most original stores in London.
Nike Town is not strictly a shop, it’s a town; a town that’s dedicated to meeting your every sporting need, and that means footwear. Basketball boots, tennis shoes or runners – they are all here. Plus, who could resist a little amateur design at the Nike iD Studio? We’ve got some red and white Nike’s with ‘AIL’ stitched on one heel, and ‘Rules’ on the other. You don’t have to be quite so egotistical as us though.