Nike launch dirty-look trainers which get cleaner with wear for £109

Telegraph

08-05-2025

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…