Somebody sound the 2010s klaxon, the AW24 shows have once again referenced the annals of recent history.
Over the weekend, design duo Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadien presented their AW24 collection for Ottolinger. Featuring preppy sportswear and deconstructed tailoring, on the models’ feet were a long-lost friend: wedge trainers. Appearing in two colourways – red and white and muted neutrals – if you don’t remember the contentious style from their first dalliance, Isabel Marant was the originator in 2011.
A firm fave throughout the mid-Aughts, waiting lists for the Beckett were as long as six months in its peak, with the shoe selling over 200,000 pairs worldwide thanks to its regular appearance on the feet of off-duty models and on celebrities from Beyoncé to Britney.
The Ottolinger iteration appears to mark the shoe’s official resurgence that has been building since Marant debuted a new, higher heeled sister shoe – the Balskee – in 2021, on the 10th anniversary of its predecessor. Modelled in a campaign featuring Adut Akech, the designer revealed she has stayed committed to the style since their debut. “I’ve never wanted to stop wearing them,” she shared. With other appearances at Chanel’s Cruise 2023 show, it seems that the wedge trainer is officially back.
Start scouring the internet for vintage styles now, and don’t forget to strengthen those ankles to avoid any high fashion accidents.