The Best Footwear From Paris Fashion Week Men's Fall/Winter 2024

Junya Watanabe x New Balance 1906R Loafer

Loafers have become a casual staple in many closets in recent years. So have New Balances. That being said, we never exactly thought we’d see the two fused together. But that’s exactly what we got from Junya Watanabe. Always known to show off an abundant amount of new collabs in his shows with brands like Levi’s and Carhartt, this time we were treated to an original sneaker with New Balance. The pair features a traditional black leather penny loafer upper. Here’s where it gets weird: The hard bottom usually found on loafers has been replaced with the midsole tooling from the 1906R. It really shouldn’t work at all. For some, it definitely doesn’t. While we initially thought we certainly wouldn't be adding these to our footwear rotation (loafers and 1906Rs should be worn separately, right?), the creativity has won us over. To be honest, these look way better than we could have ever expected them to look. Hopefully, we'll be able to scoop up a pair when they actually release later this year.

Louis Vuitton x Timberland

Ever since Pharrell posted a teaser on his @skateboard Finsta account ahead of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall/Winter 2024 show, the internet fashion community hasn’t been able to stop buzzing about them. And how couldn’t you? Timbs with the LV monogram on them feel like something you’d snag out of a backroom on Canal Street (fitting since Pharrell has referenced the infamous Canal Street bootlegs before). Now they’re official.

Of the 10 total styles, the variations of the wheat nubuck 6-inch, one with the monogram embossed on the inner tongue and gold eyelets, another with an LV logo replacing Timberland’s tree on the lateral heel, and a monogram debossed pair (there’s also an even more exclusive brown monogram version that will come with an even heftier price tag) were what everyone was eyeing. In addition to the iconic styles, there will also be an assortment of laceless work boot styles perfect for the bougiest ranch in the world. We know the pricing for these is going to be insane, but we’ll still be admiring them from afar even if we can’t lace them up ourselves.

Comme des Garçons x Nike Air Max TL 2.5

We can always expect to see Comme des Garçons unveil a new Nike collab on the runway in Paris. This time, we got a first glimpse at three colorways of the Air Max TL 2.5. The runner from 2006 is being unearthed for a retro run for the first time. True to form, CDG kept its executions very simplistic, showing pairs in black, white, and black/white. Minor design tweaks come in the form of CDG Homme Plus logos stamped on the heel tabs and the large lateral Swooshes found on the side panels of the original Air Max TL 2.5s stripped away in favor of mini Swooshes. Are they the most exciting sneaker collab ever? No. But they’re a solid execution of a seldomly seen silhouette, nonetheless. Along with these Air Maxes, some new New Balance 860v2s and a black Hoka TC 1.0 from CDG were also unearthed in Paris. Minimalism at its finest.

Jae Tips x Saucony ProGrid Omni 9

Not every big sneaker that debuts in Paris has to be on a runway. Jae Tips also released limited quantities of his fourth Saucony sneaker at the brand’s House of Saucony pop-up. This time, the Bronx-born creative provided his take on the ProGrid Omni 9. As to be expected, these are neckbreakers once again. A coral pink upper is accented by a sky blue sole, purple laces, and kelly green liner. Looks like Jae Tips is starting off 2024 exactly how he left off 2023. Expect more wins from the creator as the year moves forward. We need these in our rotation immediately.

424

Guillermo Andrade's 424 presented its latest Italian-made designs in a showroom during Paris Fashion Week. The Los Angeles-born brand’s wrinkly, laceless takes on classic work boots were on display in various new makeups ranging from ripstop camouflage to black pony hair. There was also a pair of classic black lace-ups complete with chunky soles and a silver metal toe cap. 424 is a testament to putting a fresh twist on old classics. If you're looking for something a bit more unique in your daily footwear rotation that you know is going to be super high quality, Andrade's designs should be at the top of your list.

Auralee x New Balance 990v4

Japan’s Auralee doesn’t gain attention with dazzling spectacle or big celebrity cameos like many brands tend to during Paris Fashion Week. They just consistently make amazing clothing. Their latest New Balance collab, two colorways of the always-popular 990v4, is no different. To us, the brownish grey pair is the best of the bunch, but you really can’t go wrong with either of them. This is the perfect way to elevate a classic without overdoing it.

Clarks x Martine Rose

Martine Rose continues to be one of the most exciting designers in menswear. Usually absent from the Paris Fashion Week schedule, this year she held an intimate, surprise show with a party-like atmosphere (and incredible soundtrack) to showcase some of the looks from her Fall/Winter 2024 collection. The show gave us our first look at her upcoming work with Clarks. She was named the brand’s first-ever guest creative director in May 2023. If you were itching for some Martine Rose Wallabees, you may be a bit disappointed, but fans of her Nike Shox will be excited to learn that she’s dropping some more mules. The Clarks featured in the show featured shiny brown crocodile leather on the uppers. Clarks’ showroom also previewed orange stingray, black pony hair, and baby pink suede styles. It will be fun to see how people try to pull these off. We hope it’s just the beginning of a longstanding partnership.

Botter x Reebok Energia Bo Két

Botter and Reebok’s collabs are usually pretty unorthodox. Remember these? While the projects are never massive, hyped-up releases like what we get from some of the other names on this list, they are always worth paying attention to. This time, the Paris-based brand dialed things down a bit and worked on a classic soccer boot that connects to co-founder Rushemy Botter’s Caribbean roots. The new Energia Bo Két is done up in grey/blue. The boot, complete with asymmetric lacing and a foldover tongue, falls perfectly in line with current trendy footwear like the Adidas Samba. If you want something in that wheelhouse without looking like everyone else, maybe this is the perfect sneaker for you.