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If you need any further proof that the ’80s are back in a big way, look no further than the runways. Yuppies, power suits, and oversized accessories are all enjoying a renewed moment in the mainstream. Luxury fashion is once again experimenting with indulgence, and styling stood out as a huge factor across recent collections (especially as men’s fashion week becomes an increasingly popular event). Amid the excess, one simple sneaker, which has ebbed and flowed in popularity over the past 100-plus years, is finding its way back into the limelight: Keds.
The biggest hint as to the shoe’s revival? The rise of the ultra-minimalist sneaker. The silhouette feels like a natural progression of the already trending ballet styles seen across brands like Puma and Louis Vuitton. Not to mention the Nike Air Rift, which is finally getting the funky footwear appreciation it deserves. Even high-fashion circles are not immune: Michael Rider’s debut for Celine was filled with low-key leather footwear. Seeing his relaxed contemporary-dance-like shoes pad down the runway with beautifully crafted jackets and wide-legged tailored trousers felt simultaneously modern and nostalgic—an increasingly common aesthetic combination given designers’ current penchant for re-editioned accessories and ’80s styling.
Gone are the days of circa-2018 chunky dad sneakers that were too heavy to pack in your suitcase for fear of an overweight luggage fee. With the simple sneaker renaissance, there’s no doubt we’re about to see Keds return to embody the sense of high-low dressing and ultimate sartorial ease that defined its 20th-century heyday.
Birthed in 1916, the canvas and rubber shoe initially gained popularity as one of the first pairs of athletic sneakers; however, its stylish appeal quickly escalated as it graced the feet of stars including Marilyn Monroe in Clash by Night (1952) and Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road (1967). Yoko Ono even wore Keds as a part of her bridal ensemble for her nuptials with John Lennon. Jennifer Grey famously sported them in Dirty Dancing, further catapulting the shoe into stardom and permanently associating the silhouette with that carefree ’80s prep-meets-aerobics-workout look.
Keds Women’s Champion Original Canvas Lace-Up Sneaker, Navy, 8.5 XS US
$54.95 at amazon.com
Cut to the 21st century, and the sneaker experienced its first renaissance as the brand continued to tap into celebrity power, partnering with The O.C.’s Mischa Barton as the face of its mid-2000s campaigns. Some celebrities and former spokespeople, like Lana Del Rey, never stopped wearing them either. (Perhaps that’s why her style has always remained so relatable to her fans.)
Keds Women’s Champion Original Canvas Lace-Up Sneaker, Navy, 8.5 XS US
$54.95 at amazon.com
Of course, Keds aren’t the only 2000s It item to begin to trickle back into the mainstream. Following recent celebrity co-signs, including Charli XCX at Glastonbury and Timothée Chalamet in New York City, McQueen skull scarves are bringing nostalgia back in all the right ways. Not to mention that, also on the Celine runway, a new version of the Phantom bag made a reappearance. Although, in comparison to these other accessories, the shoe can point to nearly a century of style longevity—the ultimate proof that the fashion tides always come back around.
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