Nike launch dirty-look trainers which get cleaner with wear for £109
Air Force 1 trainers, £109.99, Nike; 'Dirty Triple White' Air Force 1 trainers, £109.99, Nike
White trainers may have been declared officially passé by the style set this season, but decidedly off-white kicks are all over the place. Look down at the feet of those passing you in the street these days, and you may well spot more than a few pairs of seemingly past-their-best plimsolls. But take note: these are not any old trainers. The latest sneakers are not so much box fresh, but specifically designed to look well-worn – and distinctly grubby.
Nike has just released a new iteration of its iconic Air Force 1 design that, even when brand new, looks intentionally scuffed up. The real wizardry behind the 'Dirty Triple White' style, however, is that it ages in reverse: the grimy texture scratches away to reveal a cleaner, crisper model with every wear. Nike claims this is a tribute to the history of the Air Force 1 style which, when worn in, acts as 'a living canvas' for its owner – but one can't help but think this is a launch that will grip the attention of only the most devoted sneakerheads.
'It's a bit ridiculous, a trainer that promises to get cleaner over time,' says stylist Alex Longmore. 'Nike has come up with a product guaranteed to cause a stir and I think that's exactly what the brand wants – massive hype. It's a viral TikTok video waiting to happen.' Then again, 'dirty' trainers are nothing new: just look to Gucci's not-so artfully distressed pair which, at £775, feels somewhat ludicrous for trainers so manky, one would be forgiven for chucking them away.
Leather and canvas trainers, £775, Gucci
Autry's 'vintage' style (retailing for £213) looks in only slightly better nick, but still well on its way to a rubbish bin. The OG scuzzy sneakers are made by Golden Goose, which has sold beaten-up pairs to the likes of Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon and Selena Gomez for prices that frequently top £400.
Praise for such styles is thin on the ground from most fashion editors and tastemakers – as one X user so succinctly put it, these are 'trainers for Notting Hill mums with more money than sense'. Nevertheless, business is still booming for brands like Golden Goose, which reported double digit sales growth in 2024. It seems that, much as we once clung on to skinny jeans and floral midi-dresses long after they had passed their fashion sell-by dates, we are now reluctant to give up our old (looking) faithfuls.
Leather trainers, £213, Autry
Suede and leather trainers, £445, Golden Goose
Longmore thinks that our continued taste for distressed trainers has something to do with the demise of their alternative, as 'the whole bright, not-a-mark-in-sight look is dated and, frankly, a bit naff'. By contrast, a scuffed-up pair can look 'more low-maintenance and sophisticated'. That they 'go with pretty much anything' – as they'd have to, at these prices – is also a large part of their popular appeal. Keep things on the right side of shabby by making sure 'everything else you wear is feminine, dainty and pretty'.
While battered sneakers may have a surprising sartorial chokehold on our wardrobes for now, you might want to try simply wearing in your own, rather than shelling out for Gucci's just yet. And as for Nike's latest offering? The Emperor doesn't so much have new clothes, as old trainers…
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bianca Censori gets upstaged by Kanye West as he shows off bold look while she covers up
Bianca Censori is known for her wild and revealing outfits but Kanye West managed to be the one turning heads as he made quite a bold change to his signature style. The controversial 48-year-old rapper and his 30-year-old wife - who was recently in a nearly-naked ensemble - were seen enjoying a luxury fashion trip in Los Angeles on Sunday. Though Bianca is known for her outrageous looks, it was Kanye who upstaged her for wearing color instead of his normal all-black looks. The Can't Tell Me Nothing hitmaker is a colorful character in personality but now his ensemble finally reflected that as he wore a purple sweater for the occasion. He even skipped over his usual black trousers and instead rocked a pair of baggy indigo-washed jeans which were faded from the thigh to the knees. Kanye also donned a pair of brown suede boots as he strutted his stuff next to his wife. He accessorized with a platinum chain featuring a massive diamond-encrusted pendant and expensive watch. Meanwhile, Bianca also switched up her look as she was mostly covered up. The Aussie donned off-the-shoulder long-sleeved black bodysuit which showcased her stunning figure. She teamed the ensemble with matching stockings along with strappy white heeled gladiator-style sandals which went up to her knees. Bianca wore her brunette tresses down as they featured a bit of fringe which hung to just over her eyes. She accentuated her natural looks with complementary make-up topped off with nude lip. Perhaps the duo were committing to their new styles as they stopped to shop at luxury fashion and art store Maxfield LA. The two looked through the avant-garde couture pieces at the retail store that carries Maison Margiela, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Vetements, Chloe, Casablanca, Hermes, and many others. The Can't Tell Me Nothing hitmaker is a colorful character in personality but now his ensemble finally reflected that as he wore a purple sweater for the occasion Meanwhile, Bianca also switched up her look as she was mostly covered up He even skipped over his usual black trousers and instead rocked a pair of baggy indigo-washed jeans which were faded from the thigh to the knees Kanye also donned a pair of brown suede boots as he strutted his stuff next to his wife Meanwhile, West has remained in the crosshairs of controversy for much of the year amid a torrent of tweets propagating antisemitism, though he renounced those beliefs in a tweet last month. 'I am done with antisemitism,' he said in a May 22 tweet that garnered 167,000 likes from the influential artist's network of more than 33.2 million followers. The stance came in stark contrast to Ye's controversial one four months earlier: He posted multiple images swastikas, and plastering them on a number of clothing items he intended to sell. On February 11, the shop on West's Yeezy Website - which he advertised with an expensive ad in the Super Bowl - was taken offline by Shopify after he was selling a white shirt with a black swastika in the center. West spoke more about the controversy in a series of tweets February 20 - promising to wear the swastika shirt onstage at the 2026 Super Bowl. 'Next year I'm performing at the superbowl wearing my wittle T shirt,' he said. 'People with money bought my wittle t shirt.' He added that Shopify 'gave [him his] account back' after taking down his store after controversy erupted over the shirts, but that he was 'not going to use it.' The Anti-Defamation League said in a post on X/Twitter February 10: 'As if we needed further proof of Kanye's antisemitism, he chose to put a single item for sale on his website – a t-shirt emblazoned with a swastika. Bianca wore her brunette tresses down as they featured a bit of fringe which hung to just over her eyes She teamed the ensemble with matching stockings along with strappy white heeled gladiator-style sandals which went up to her knees She tried on a pair of shoes in the store The two were joined by a security guard who held onto their purchases He accessorized with a platinum chain featuring a massive diamond-encrusted pendant and expensive watch 'If that wasn't enough, the t-shirt is labeled on Kanye's website as "HH-01,"which is code for "Heil Hitler." 'Kanye was tweeting vile antisemitism nonstop since last week. There's no excuse for this kind of behavior.' The organization added, 'Even worse, Kanye advertised his website during the Super Bowl, amplifying it beyond his already massive social media audience.' Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, the founder and executive director of CyberWell, an online anti-Semitism watchdog group, told February 11 that the organization made efforts to go over West's head and have the page removed. 'CyberWell reached out Shopify's compliance and safety teams to alert them to flagrant abuse of Shopfiy's services by in violation of the terms of use,' Cohen Montemayor said. Podcaster Van Lathan, who famously clashed with West in a heated discussion in the TMZ newsroom in May of 2018, was critical of the rapper's latest series of tweets in a post on the platform February 20, calling him 'the slow kid in the Black community's class.' 'I'm glad you're rich,' Lathan wrote. 'It seems to be the only thing you care about. Money is dope you can do a lot of stuff with it. Sincerely. We need it, as a community. 'One thing that's more valuable than money is people. I'm sure you'd agree no dollar amount can measure North's laugh, I'm sure you'd go broke to bring your mother back. I would for my dad, who I lost in '21.' Lathan told West he was 'trapped in an infant's bubble, where [he] can be reckless and careless and people excuse it because of affection. 'We realize this, and try to ignore you, until the baby picks up something sharp like Nazism, domestic abuse, etc. then we gotta child proof things until you stop crying.' Lathan, who cohosts the podcast Higher Learning with Rachel Lindsay, continued, 'You're right about one thing, I am a slave to capitalism. We all are. Gotta work. 'But No one is more of a slave than the man who puts money over dignity. No one. So I'll be a slave, and you be what you are, which is the slow kid in the Black community's class. Keep eating boogers Kanye.'
Times
29 minutes ago
- Times
The woman the front row most want to look like
She was the uptown New York It girl who married into the Kennedy clan then died in a plane crash aged just 33. You might not have heard of the fashion industry's favourite muse, Carolyn Bessette, but you'll recognise her signature minimalist look — partly because everybody is wearing it again now, 25 years after her death. A black satin slip with thonged leather flip-flops. The perfect plain black tee, rollneck or blazer. Lots of black, in fact, right down to the lozenge-lensed sunglasses. Vintage blue straight-leg jeans and loafers; white jeans with clumpy 'Dad' trainers. A camel coat, Hermès Birkin and that other must-have one per cent accessory: long, rich-girl hair in the perfect shade of buttery blonde. If it sounds like the default outfit on Instagram right now or a particularly pertinent Pinterest board, that's because CBK has become something of a posthumous influencer. Photos of her have long been mentally mood-boarded by fashion editors who pay homage in trend-resistant cigarette pants and crisp white shirt combos. Their ultimate wish list label, The Row — where handbags cost £5,000 and coats can reach £7,000 — is an expert modern synthesis of CBK's Prada, Yohji Yamamoto and Narciso Rodriguez-infused wardrobe. Now that same look has filtered through to Cos, H&M and Zara — even Shein, where a camel coat costs £20.69. • How Carolyn Bessette Kennedy became Gen Z's favourite It girl Bessette, who was an exec at Calvin Klein during the brand's 1990s heyday and gained celebrity status for her relationship with John F Kennedy Jr (son of JFK and Jackie O), was a walking billboard for the label when she was alive. After her death in 1999 she entered a pantheon of tragic glamour alongside the likes of Grace Kelly, Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe — other rich blonde archetypes who are long-held and oft-cited key style references for insider industry types, and all the more aspirational for never having grown old. Yet after the Succession-related rise of what TikTok calls 'quiet luxury' (classic, anonymous and affluent-seeming clothing designed to fit in at the country club), the internet has mainstreamed Bessette's chic appeal into algorithm fodder. In fact she has become such a sartorial pin-up that when new images of the actress playing CBK in a forthcoming TV series emerged last week, the costumes were condemned as inaccurate, inauthentic and — fashion's worst crime — cheap. 'These garments look too much like modern-day replicas,' NY Mag's The Cut announced. 'Zara,' one commenter responded on Instagram. 'God awful styling, start over,' another exclaimed. • Why Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's style still matters today It's true, the screen CBK's clothes do lack the original's je ne sais quoi — the leather too plastic-looking, the satin too poly-lustrous, the hair too 'Gwen Stefani-level blonde', according to US Vogue. The magazine even tracked down Bessette's colourist, Brad Johns, and extracted from him an offer to recreate his patented 'chunking' technique to the exact shade of upmarket toffee required. 'No one would believe that Carolyn would ever have had that colour from me,' 5th Avenue's one-time highlights maestro said of the shots from the American Love Story series, which is set to air next year. 'It's too 2024.' Since then its producer, Ryan Murphy — who also created the American Horror Story franchise — has been at pains to explain that these were not the costumes used for filming but a series of images created for his studio partners. • Read more fashion advice and style inspiration from our experts Yet the strength of reaction is reminiscent of those around the unveilings of recent Disney 'reimaginings' of key characters — which goes to show how careful you must be when you're messing with everybody's favourite blonde princesses.
Times
29 minutes ago
- Times
Don't say garden party — how to ‘outdoor host'
Beers in the fridge, wine in the cooler, hostess on the most rickety of the folding chairs — summer entertaining used to be simple. Alas, since the advent of social media, Meghan's Netflix series and, yes, weight-loss drugs, having people round has become more complicated. They aren't called garden parties any more, for instance — here are the latest tips for 'outdoor hosting' in summer 2025. Jennifer Aniston might have had what is known as a 'garden lounge', complete with armchairs and coffee table at her former Beverly Hills house, but if, like me, your choice is between table on the patio looking at the shed or by the shed looking at the patio, you're going to need plenty of festoon lights to set some mood — but good luck trying to find any still in stock online. You can try your luck at Screwfix or Wickes, or you can pre-order Garden Trading's solar string bulbs for delivery in mid-August (£65, In their absence, dot around rechargeable lamps such as Zara Home's £49.99 lantern — or, like the opening credits of Friends, see whether the flex on a standard lamp will stretch on to the terrasse. It's easier to find LED strings right now — lace them through trees to give glow. And Ikea's chunky Fenomen candles will sit on tables without dripping wax (£5 for five, 'Invite people over for brunch,' says Laura Jackson, Insta-host extraordinaire, founder of the homeware site Glassette and the voice of those who just want a good night's sleep these days actually. 'A 'start early, finish early' vibe — frozen coffee cocktails, whether alcoholic or not, are this year's frozen rosé.' Take inspiration from Barbarella, the latest opening from the hip Italian chain Big Mamma, in Canary Wharf, where the classic espresso martini comes laced with 50g zeitgeisty pistachio paste (Black Milk Pistachio Cream (£5.95, to 40ml vodka and 10ml freshly made espresso. Sprinkle a couple of beans on top to finish. At this point in the heatwave there are shortages and delays on the most sought-after garden furniture and accoutrements. John Lewis's £149 striped Marcy chair sold out back in April, and there's a backlog on the metropolitan elite's favourite slatted metal Palissade table from Hay (£799, down from £999, Yeti's £300 camping cool box is a cult buy among the surf set and competitive barbecuers alike, while the £1,995 Big Green Egg kamado BBQ remains a hypey favourite but (whisper it) Aldi's £299 version is just as good — although it sold out as soon as it hit the shops in May. Habitat's £600 version comes with glowing customer reviews ( Don't feel the need to fix everybody a drink as they arrive. Instead, take your lead from 2025's viral self-help tome, The Let Them Theory: set up a self-serve bar with ice, glasses and bottles in coolers for guests to pick and pour from, then leave them to it. This isn't the recipe for disaster it might once have been because … Recent market research (Saturday night at a friend's 40th) indicates that so many people are now sober or 'on the pen', ordering the amount everybody used to consume will leave you with gallons spare. My sources report that rosé was the least consumed and advise serving beers — normal, alcohol-free or perhaps functional mushroom-laced Colliders ( — alongside cocktails that can be made either virgin or not. The fashion crowd have moved on from the Hugo spritz now that the Ocado classes are clamouring for its main elderflower ingredient. Instead, the Select spritz, made with the traditional Venetian liqueur almost certainly being served at the Bezos wedding, is a good halfway house between ubiquitous Aperol and challenging Campari. Plus, way fewer people have heard of it. Tequila, grapefruit and soda palomas are still just edgy enough; Crodinos and Botivo for those on the wagon. • Meghan to release rosé wine under As Ever brand Do yourself a favour and elevate picky bits rather than making a meal the main event. 'Serve crudités and berries in massive bowls on ice,' Jackson says. 'Or set out baguettes, cheese and ham — big piles of one thing always look beautiful and are easy to do.' Another trend is the EBYGH invite (eat before you get here), which comes in response to most dinner parties only really getting going at the moment it is time for everybody to leave. Cubes of feta arranged with cubes of pink grapefruit, watermelon, cantaloupe or nestling Nocellara olives, then herbs, chilli or black sesame seeds sprinkled on top: TikTok's top summer snack. • Can you freeze cheese? 34 cheese questions answered by an expert 'Drizzle it on vanilla ice cream,' says Sarah Vachon, sommelier at the UK's first olive oil cocktail bar in Notting Hill. She recommends Citizens of Soil's Sicilian small-batch (£35, In influencer circles there are those who mould it, using silicone trays, into leaves and seashells, and others who add a bit of water or milk to whip it into gargantuan mounds that act partly as a tablescape feature, surrounded by a generous heap of fashionably leafy radishes. This is part of a trend for … At Copenhagen Design Week placement cards for dinner were slotted into asparagus stems, broad beans and mini aubergines — a great solution for all those unwanted courgettes in the veg box too. Fruit also works: the cookery writer Skye McAlpine dots a summer table with bunches of grapes, while fashion industry dinners are using oranges and grapefruits as everything from ice cream dishes to candle-holders (just shove them in the top). John Lewis's £10 ceramic lemon version and tangerine salt and pepper shakers will do the trick too (£12, Also seen in Copenhagen. You will need: a recycling bin's worth of different-sized glass bottles, each with just one flower in — ranunculus was the preference — then arranged on an oversized linen tablecloth, such as Secret Linen Store's vibrant lime green (£149, 'Let it drape naturally rather than aiming for crisp and traditional,' says Gem Boner, ex of Soho House and proprietor of the beau monde's favourite farm-stay venue, Restaries in Suffolk. Other must-have tabletoppers include H&M's Palm Heights sandstone candle-holders (£24.99, and retro-looking silver steel serving platters. The experts are all in agreement on this one: Cleo Sol, Addison Rae, Beka, Zach Bryan, Bonobo. One beauty insider's go-to is simply five hours' worth of Madonna remixes — no complaints here. • The best albums of 2025 so far 'One low-effort trick is to make a hole in a watermelon and fill it up with a liqueur,' Jackson says. Gabriel Boudier's Crème de Rhubarbe would nod to this summer's other trendiest vegetable (£14.75, Leave it to infuse for 12 hours, then serve in slices — and with a warning.
