Fashion Trend Analysis Report

TREND ANALYSIS REPORT DAD SHOES

DAD SHOES WRITTEN BY SIMAR DATTA From Instagram to the runway, celebrities and The stark shift in option itself could be one designers, all have and still are embracing the reason in setting of the ‘Ugly dad chunky \"ugliness\" of the oversize sneakers that many sneakers’ trend, much like the transition have been referring as \"dad shoes\". The from minimalism design movement to report is based on ‘Dad Shoes. Analyzing a Memphis design movement in 80’s. rather strange looking sneaker gaining mass appeal quickly which appeared to be a fad But the minimalist sneaker that were mass initially but turned out to be a huge trend adopted by Saint Laurent and Gucci, to instead, tapping all three effects of trend fast-fashion retailers, like Zara and H&M cycle (Coattail Effect, Status Markers and abruptly came to a halt after Balenciaga Chase & Flight) unveiled Triple S sneakers in its fall/ winter 2017 collection during Men's Paris Fashion Chunky sneakers, ugly sneakers, turbo Week. The stark shift in option itself could trainers or popularly known as “dad shoes” be one reason in setting of the ‘Ugly dad are footwear recognized by their massive chunky sneakers’ trend, much like the soles, thick upper body and weird 80’s and transition from minimalism design 90’s patterns. They are oversized and extra movement to Memphis design movement in cushioned appearing as if a brick is laced to 80’s. the feet yet somehow extremely comfortable and lightweight when worn. Cuts, design, colors, pattern on the shoes looks something out of ‘Memphis’ design movement, anything but minimalist and in complete contrast to then popular sleeker shoes like the iconic Common Projects Achilles Low, the revamped Adidas Stan Smith. But the minimalist sneaker that were mass adopted by Saint Laurent and Gucci, to fast- fashion retailers, like Zara and H&M abruptly came to a halt after Balenciaga unveiled Triple S sneakers in its fall/ winter 2017 collection during Men's Paris Fashion Week.

However, dad sneaker were earlier Brands Adidas and Nike started reintroduced in 2013. Ozweego, an Adidas going \"chunkier\" about the same time reinterpretation by Raf Simons sneaker line as Balenciaga, with ‘Adidas popularized the '80s and '90s as a Yeezy Wave Runner 700’ and ‘Nike sportswear style by a comeback (some 1982 Air Force 1’ marking 35th suggest) as a part of ‘normcore’ movement anniversary of the classic ‘1982 Air but never picked up much hype. Force 1’. It’s rather difficult to put a finger on who actually bought up the TREND trend, Balenciaga's Triple S Trainers CURVE ($895), being the poster child of the best-selling brand across 122 brands that sell the style or sportswear giants like Nike, Puma and Adidas that made the shoe type (dad shoes) accessible to people because of their brand image.

Never the less, by early 2018 luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton have, Valentino, Prada, and Alexander McQueen followed suit, created their own takes on the dad shoe to cash in on the booming market. By mid-2018 brands, realizing the huge value of chunky sneakers, the competition between the luxury and sportswear (casual) brands increased, giving rise to ever-more striking and expensive designs, creating a buzz and mass adaptation, marking late 2018 and 2019 as the peak of ‘chunky ugly dad’ shoes. GOOGLE TREND ANALYSIS

LINKFLUENCE TREND ANALYSIS (2017 TO 2018)

LINKFLUENCE TREND ANALYSIS (2017 TO 2018)

LINKFLUENCE TREND ANALYSIS (2017 TO 2018)

WHY Women were and still are re-evaluating their roles in society, and in doing so One can not justify why their fashion choices have become without the relation of how, pretty comfortable. While huge Me Too, for which there are few 'go women' moments were happening different reasons and alongside romanticism and femininity interpretation. The first being trends in fashion, women mixed these related to the statistics given frilly dresses with chunky 'ugly' above. Initially, the rise in the sneakers, silently conveying not to hype and expensive assume them weak and all girly. distinctive designs in the Aesthetics aside, ‘ugly chunky dad produced range made them a shoes’ somewhere did help in blurring clear status symbol and was traditional sartorial gender lines as, the fueled by the limited number trend started reflecting a deeper of pairs released at the time, cultural meaning. making them highly sought- Other than that, just the term ‘ugly’ after. associated with the shoes might contributed in curating a rebellious yet Luxury Brands wanted to tap into street almost comical interpretation of its style while maintaining their high-end name, by being deliberately ugly. image to refresh their looks, related to young buyers and once again become relevant in their eyes as Millennials born in the early 80s and mid-90s - already represent a huge chunk of consumer market. Or it could have been the fact that people (especially women) started moving away from the idea of fashion being related to a fantasy and simply not aim for elegance anymore. Which gave a rise to luxury sneakers as a part of the growing influence of casual and streetwear in high-end fashion. Dad Shoes also became a major fashion statement for women as a reaction to decades of over-sexualized women's clothing. This fashion trend was another way to stand out and make a statement about nonconformity.

All these factors aside, there is still a gap to be bridged between brands and it’s Vetements Fall 2018 reach to general consumers, to be filled up when the product becomes virtually source: Vogue, getty images accessible to people, by the means of social media, celebrities and fashion influencers. The social media is still filled (chunky shoes and biker shorts), but was prominently filled with pictures of celebrities and influencers wearing and gushing about the dad shoes tags like #dad shoe… in 2018/19. Some of the most influential were Street style favorites Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Rihanna, Celine Dion and Hailey Baldwin. Kanye and his family, including wife Kim Kardashian West, were spotted wearing his Yeezy label. Other than social media ‘dad shoes’ also grazed Met Gala with Jaden Smith wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton’s Archlight sneakers ($1,090) alongside other the red-carpet events and ‘dad sneakers’ has walked the runway since the last three years. RUNWAY SCAN Coach 1941 Spring 2019 source: Marcus Tondo / Indigital.tv Comme des Garçons Spring 2019 source: Vogue, getty images Gucci Fall 2018 source: Courtesy of Marcus Tondo / Indigital.tv Alexander Wang Fall 2019 Balenciaga Fall 2018 source: Vogue, getty images source: Marcus Tondo / Indigital.tv

SOCIAL MEDIA SCAN Instagram # tags #dadshoes #dadstuff #uglysneakers #chunkyshoes #kicks

FASHION SCAN Laura Harrier LOUIS VUITTON 2019 campaign source: crfashionbook, Getty Images CARO DAUR JADEN SMITH- Louis Vuitton dad shoes Paris Fashion Week 2019 Spring '18 runway. source: crfashionbook, Getty Images source: crfashionbook, Getty Images PITTI UOMO source: crfashionbook, Getty Images TSIBILISI FASHION WEEK Going full Balenciaga dadcore. source: crfashionbook, Getty Images KENDALL JENNER 2019 ADWOA ABOAH source: crfashionbook, Getty Images Minimal excellence at a jewelry PARIS FASHION WEEK Spring 2018 shows event in NYC last week. source: crfashionbook,Getty Images source: crfashionbook, Getty Images BELLA HADID THE RAPPER, RITA ORA, ARIANA GRANDE (2018) during the Paris menswear shows. 2019 source: Film Magic, Wireimage, Getty Images

Ever since the ‘dad sneakers’ became a trend, the subject of it’s likeability has been a debate. Although most people seem to like the trend, few are resentful. What most LIKE • The style definitely hits that nostalgic nerve that brands keep on plugging into. • A pair of black “ugly” sneakers adds sophistication to a more tailored ensemble. • hybrid between the new trail sneakers and “dad” kicks. • they make this fancier ’fit feel even cooler. • chunky sneakers are way more laid-back and forward when paired with dresses. • Consider coordinating your sneakers to your outfit with similar colors for an unexpected vibe. What some HATE • Comes off as overstated in appearance. • plenty of people consider them as an eyesore. • The color, print combinations or the overall style resembles Memphis design which was not favored by many in the past. • The thick, naked soles resemble a brick attached to the feet • Makes the overall attire look bulky and imbalanced

The chunky dad shoe has reigned supreme Although this evolution started in 2019 for almost three years now, making it’s mark itself with Nike Air Monarch IV’s as a footwear matching well with all kinds. embossed denim body and brown leather According to the trend reports and detail, Balenciaga with the Track Trainer consumer demand (even in the pandemic), (a hiking-inspired shoe) and Adidas kept it’s apparent that the trend is not showing the style circulating with a series of any signs of decline. While checking out this Yeezys. The dad shoe with time become year’s or 2020’s must have footwear in men, an umbrella term for other footwear on 3 out of 10 and 1 out of 10 in female are the chunkier side like “ugly sandal” or chunky ugly dad shoes (may are also “dad sandal” that made a huge comeback hybrids of the shoe on the list). Rather it last season in both the men and women’s seems that brands themselves have started market. There were also some significant to update and evolve the ‘dad shoes’, updates taking place before pandemic like adding futuristic elements and latest trends Balenciaga Zen and others. to it or using the basic features of the shoes (thick upper, mix of different colors &patterns chunky rubber sole) and infusing it with other latest trends.

Trend Forecast Report Collection Review A/W 19/20 Women's Materials & Details: Accessories & Footwear Offer WGSN Collection Review A/W 19/20 Men's Key Items: Footwear WGSN

Zeitgeist Dad shoes being a footwear that can be paired up with numerous types of attire has opened up to a lot of future possibilities for itself as well as it’s consumers. Being categorized and recognized as ‘ugly, chunky dad shoes’ have only comically stereotyped it. In its true nature this trend has turned out to be gender neutral and forward thinking. Heavily supported by media and influential people, the trend has seemed to take on as a lifestyle trend. Being rudely interrupted by covid-19 pandemic halted the upgradation and evolution in this trend yet with a number of hybrids in its pocket, dad shoes actually became more utilitarian than just a fashion trend. Although the shoe was of a lesser use for people during lockdown, only contributing while working out, grocery shopping for stocking up necessities or cleaning around the house due to its sporty categorization, there is a noticeable trail up of the shoes becoming a part of everyday life. Where ‘work from home’ became a major factor in contributing to the notion of ‘comfort over elegance’, dad shoes were already a part of this shift pre-pandemic. As lockdown slowly lifted and back to basics was on full swing, most people avoided shopping due to economic and financial conditions, resulting in sticking to what they already have (last year’s trend’s items). With dad shoes and its hybrids being colorful, nostalgic to better time and an article that kept the boring old outfits fun and interesting become the most favorable footwear in wardrobes. As mentioned before, dad shoes or sneakers in general have now become a part of lifestyle along with other mom and dad trends (mom jeans, dad shirt etc.) and people starting going back to their jobs, it is and will be hard to bring people back on heels or oxford shoes after seasons and months of comfortable footwear. The society may accept to team sneakers with a tailored suit or with business casual attire as a work attire (if not in white collar job). This trend could be distant or near, but the change in the direction of work wear attire is bound to catch a spotlight in the forceable future.

Zeitgeist

With this it can be clearly stated that ‘dad shoes’ is like High fashion meeting street culture as it is most relevant move in today’s time, a place where Balenciaga and Sketchers can both compete in the same space and the consumer are the benefiters. Dad shoes are not even really a trend anymore, over the course of the last three years it’s become more of a category. The trend has impacted almost everyone’s lives in some or the other way, engraving in our minds that ‘the more once feet stick out, the more they fit in the fashion world’. Having said that, three years of comfort as a fashion trend seems a bet hard to surpass in the future and so many conclude and hope that this trend stays in fashion in one or the other way. end.

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