Flat Out: Women Are Now Buying More Trainers Than Heels

One look at any Fashion Week street style gallery, It’s not hard to see that sneakers are the footwear of choice for the fash pack – from Adidas’ Stan Smiths to Golden Goose, Saint Laurent and Gucci, designers globally have jumped on the trainer bandwagon and according to a new report, more women are favouring the flat footwear over high heels. 

Mintel, a UK-based market research company, reports that 37 per cent of women in the UK purchased a new pair of trainers last year, compared to the 33 per cent that invested in a new pair of high heels. And if you think it’s the new gen that’s mostly making the change, you’re wrong. Bazaar UK reports that Mintel found that it was women aged between 35-44 who had made the most changes, with 48 per cent of them buying trainers and only 30 per cent purchasing heels. 

“The UK sportswear market has seen strong growth in the last year and there has been a trend for consumers to integrate sports clothing into their daily wardrobes, meaning trainers have become more popular among women, overtaking heels to become the second-favourite item of footwear after flat shoes,” Mintel’s senior fashion analyst Tamara Sender said. 

Whilst the report is based off UK purchasing habits, we’d say they wouldn’t be far off here in the Middle East either. Whether at the mall, or a gala event, you’re equally likely to see a pair of Saint Laurent’s tributes next to a pair of Alessandro Michele’s sneakers. The push for fashion and functionality and the demand for our clothing and footwear to be able to keep up with our busy lives has seen a return of practical pieces with guaranteed longevity. Time to get on board, and take it down a few inches.