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Elle
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Bella Hadid Can't Stop Wearing Vivaia's Sneakerinas – Here's How To Style The Divisive Shoe
The more Bella Hadid steps out in sneakerinas, the less and less divisive the trend starts to look. It's a story as old as time: supermodels managing to make just about anything look appealing. With the ballet flat renaissance well and truly underway, 2025 was the year a less 'palatable' hybrid trainer version came into the mainstream. But, lest we forget, ugly shoes are fashion catnip. Soon this lovechild was influencing the shape of new sneaker drops and street style spotlights. Goodbye chunky soles and Triple S vibes, hello to the slimline silhouette we loved back in the Seventies, with sporty side stripes, suede uppers and featherweight serrated soles. There's a reason Puma Speedcats, adidas Sambas, Onitsuka Tigers and Miu Miu Plumes are having such a moment. Now, Vivaia has hopped on this bandwagon with a new take on its cult Cristina shoes. If the original design was delicate and balletic, crafted in lustrous satin and dyed in pastel hues, the new Yancy style is sportier than ever. Bella Hadid was spotted out in West Hollywood just this week modelling the creamy 'Natural' shade with tonal Jean Paul Gaultier jeans and a matching denim jacket. Made from padded Re-Nylon (that's recycled Nylon, for the non Prada-mad out there), the Vivaia Yancy has swooping overstitching and suede panelling, as well as a retro rounded toe. Unlike the candy-coloured Cristinas, this shoe comes in basic black, white, cream and a bold red. Of course this isn't the first time Bella has been spotted wearing Vivaia. In fact, the shoe brand has the model to thank for its sudden success. While, yes, the direct-to-consumer label has garnered a roster of celebrity fans – Selena Gomez, Julia Roberts, Alexa Chung and Katie Holmes, to name but a few – since its launch five years ago, in 2025 Vivaia entered the big leagues. When the Cristina sneakerina launched in February, it took less than a month for it to sell out – all thanks to Bella, who was seen wearing a a black pair with a Saint Laurent bag and wool overcoat in early March 2025. Two short weeks later and the Orabella founder was out in sneakerinas yet again: this time in New York, in Vivaia's ivory Cristina with capri leggings and a black Saint Laurent bomber. Cue another sell-out situation. Naturally, in April of this year, it was impossible to get your hands on a pair. But, luckily, Vivaia has kept the drops coming, with fresh new colourways landing all the time – namely butter yellow for summer and an on-trend burgundy to see you through the autumn season. We're big fans of the square-toed full vamp Cristina that Bella Hadid and Amelia Gray Hamlin own, but these shoes also come in a more balletic version, the Yanka, for the truly trainer-averse. Charli XCX has these lower-cut, rounded-toed sneakerinas in pink – she was seen wearing them at Glastonbury and out with friends in NYC. As a self-confessed trainer hater, my life changed the day Vivaia's Cristina sneakerinas landed on my desk. I find – believe it or not – classic trainers to be uncomfortable and I hate the silhouette they create. I was partial to a slim Nike Cortez once, but would rather opt for a heeled boot than ever wear a dress with trainers. Then, ballet flats returned and my feet were freed from their clip-clopping prison. However, there are some outfits that the classic ballet flat can easily take into 'twee' territory, and this is where the sneakerina really comes into its own. That injection of easy athleisure was just what my stripy Ganni midi needed to feel less mumsy (I am a mum, the fear is real), and suddenly my all-black outfits had a cherry on top in the form of low-key flats, not heels. You get the gist: sneakerinas are wearable. No one should be intimidated by this shoe. It goes just as well with an unabashedly girlish midi or mini (think Simone Rocha or Cecilie Bahnsen) as it does with streetwear or sleek Skims loungewear. And, as Bella has proven, it also goes particularly well with this season's favourite capri pant and a relaxed leather bomber (or any bomber jacket for that matter). For extra style points, layer up with the leggings-and-dress combo ELLE UK editors can't stop talking about. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Abigail Southan is our Senior Fashion Ecommerce Editor and has five years' experience as a writer and editor in the industry. Abigail has a BA in History from the University of Bristol and an MA in Fashion Journalism from Central Saint Martins. Abigail currently covers all things style and shopping across titles including Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Esquire and Red. On a daily basis, she helps readers buy better with how-to-wear guides, first-person product reviews and deep dives into the latest trends. Previously, Abigail has worked for The Sunday Times' Style and Fabulous magazine as their first ecommerce writer and was a founding editor of Sun Selects. She has also written for Net-a-Porter, I-D, Man About Town, Wonderland and 1 Granary, and has interviewed the likes of Paris Hilton, Dua Lipa and Christopher Bailey. You can follow Abigail on Instagram at @abigailsouthan.
Cosmopolitan
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
A Puma Speedcat OG Sneakers Review 2025 from a Shopping Editor
Whenever a new shoe hits the sneaker trend lineup, it grabs my full attention. We've seen the rise of the dad shoe, hiking shoes earning fashion cred (without the mountain mama vibe), and chunky platforms becoming a full-on movement. But lately, the slim, low-profile silhouette that was once a big hit in the early aughts has been creeping back into the spotlight, and the Puma Speedcat OG sneakers are definitely soaking it in. Even with more than 70 pairs of shoes crammed into my tiny New York City apartment, I couldn't resist. I had to get my hands on them. I've also got street style and social media to thank (or maybe blame) for this obsession. Everyone on my FYP has been sporting the Speedcat OGs, and celebs like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski, and Jennifer Lawrence have all been spotted in them. It felt like the universe was yelling at me to hop on the bandwagon. And, I won't lie, I started feeling seriously left out… and lowkey out of style. So I took matters into my own hands to see what all the hype was about. For two weeks, I put the viral suede and leather shoes to the test, paying close attention to fit, quality, support, and how easily they could be styled with different looks. My coworker, shopping editor Hannah Oh, also tried them out—especially to see how they work for someone with wide feet. (No feet were left behind in our research!) Now, keep scrolling for our full Puma Speedcat OG sneakers review, where we answer the most asked questions you have about the beloved shoes, so you can decide whether they deserve a spot in your cart or not. They run a little small, to be totally honest. I'm a size 6 with narrow feet and usually don't size up, even when recommended. However, the size 6 felt a bit tight. I kind of wish I had gone up half a size, not gonna lie! They're not uncomfortable by any means but are just more fitted than expected. Hannah had a similar experience, though she opted to size up a full size. "I have decently wide feet, so I (with suspicion, to avoid any type of shoe pain) sized up a whole size. And thank God I did, because I didn't experience any squeezy toes or the overwhelming desire to remove them under my desk secretly. Note that I typically wear a 6.5/7 and went for a 7.5, but if you typically wear a 7, going a half-size up might be plenty!" Not quite! These shoes aren't designed for running marathons, long Hot Girl walks, or any sort of exercise, which makes them better suited for casual wear than all-day comfort. The Speedcat OGs have a low-profile design with minimal cushioning, so if you're on your feet for long periods or need sneakers that won't leave you aching after 30 minutes, these might not be the best choice. Now, in comparison to the adidas Sambas (which makes sense to bring up since they were the last pair of sneakers to go viral), Hannah would say that the Sambas provide a similar level of support: minimal. "They're pretty comparable to the amount of support an adidas Samba would offer, which is to say, not much. These fashion sneakers with a low profile and that trendy flat sole aren't designed to support high arches or cushion your heels a ton, but they're comfortable enough for a day of walking, and that's enough for me! If I needed something more intense, there are more technical shoes to do that—but would they be as vibey? Definitely not.' Are Puma Speedcat OGs comfortable for everyday use? For the most part, yes—especially if your day involves light activity. I've worn them for over eight hours at a time, from the office to dinner and drinks afterward (where I was periodically sitting and walking), and never felt the urge to rip them off. However, if your day includes running, walking several miles without any sitting breaks, hiking, or being on your feet nonstop, they might not offer the support you need. Do you have to break them in? Thankfully, I didn't have to go through any sort of ~breaking-in~ period. As someone who deals with blisters on the sides of their feet every other week (shoes are my weakness, okay?), this was a major relief. In my experience, they do stretch out a teensy bit after a couple of wears—such a clutch detail considering how narrow they are—but they never dug into my skin the first few times I wore them. Although Hannah had a bit of a different experience than I did: "I will say that when I put these on for the first time, they felt stiff and uncomfortable... for about five minutes. After the (very short) break-in period, they were super comfortable and I didn't have any blisters from the first few days of wearing them!" A little history lesson for you: the Puma Speedcat OGs were originally designed as driving shoes, often seen in Formula 1 and around Monaco. But over the years, their slim silhouette and low-profile design attracted those off the track and have turned them into a streetwear staple—and a full-on fashion phenomenon. Obviously, there aren't any strict guidelines when it comes to fashion. You should wear what feels like it speaks to you and your personality. Whether your aesthetic is preppy, coquette, grunge, maximalist, or somewhere in between, Speedcats can adapt to your vibe. I'd describe my own look as Hailey Bieber–inspired minimalist with a playful edge—think clean lines with bold accents. I like styling the brown pair with warm, earthy pieces for a grounded, effortless feel. For the red ones, I usually go with a sleek, neutral outfit to let the color stand out as a statement. My favorite way to wear them is with slouchy, low-rise jeans and a baby tee for that effortless, throwback look. They retail for $100, which feels pretty average for sneakers these days. Honestly, I'd even say they're on the more affordable side for a name-brand shoe like this. Some colorways or materials might cost $10 to $20 more, depending on the style. Sometimes! Depending on the retailer, they do get marked down here and there. It's usually third-party sellers that offer discounts when they pop up. I'd recommend keeping an eye out—because honestly, you never really know! Meg Uy, Associate Shopping Editor: Chat, not to be dramatic, but I'm in love. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first because I worried the slim design would look weird on me. I'm only 4′11″, so I've always leaned toward sneakers with some height for extra lift. Turns out, I was totally wrong. They're sleek, stylish, and instantly elevate any outfit. Plus, I'm a big fan of the Y2K style resurgence, and these speak to that perfectly. Hannah Oh, Shopping Editor: All in all, very cute and easy to style with basic outfits to take them up a notch. Love the nod to the balletcore roots (the low profile and pointe-shoe-esque shape are some of my favorite features), and they don't have to be uncomfortable if you know how to correctly size yourself! Megan Uy is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she searches for the best products in all things fashion, home, beauty, sex, gifts, and more, so you don't have to. When she's not writing for the site, she's whipping up some cool and trendy content for the fashion section of the print magazine. She's been with the brand since 2019 (when she was an itty-bitty editorial fellow), and she's also written for Delish, House Beautiful, and People. Follow her on Instagram to get some BTS of the editor life and chaotic NYC content. Also, feel free to hit her up if you ever wanna discuss the madness that is TikTok.
