The 10 Biggest Footwear Moments From Paris Fashion Week SS26

Hypebeast

a day ago

TheSpring/Summer 2026season came into focus last week as Paris hosted a full slate of menswear presentations and runway shows. While designers laid out the future of fashion, the footwear world made plenty of noise of its own. From familiar favorites to surprise reveals, the week delivered no shortage of collaboration previews. To tie it all together, we've assembled a list of 10 standout sneaker moments that caught our attention during the whirlwind ofParis Fashion Week.
ALIVEFORMhas established itself as a leader in the 3D-printed footwear space. Recognizing this, the techwear titanACRONYMhas teamed up with the Japanese label to create their first co-designed sneaker, THE BLADE. Revealed within ALIVEFORM's showroom, the sleek slip-on fuses the forward-thinking design languages of both brands, with four colorways each offering a modern edge. Key attributes include a blade-like curve around the toe, ventilation throughout the upper, and co-branding at the medial toe and footbed.
Another technical label that stood out this past week was_J.L_A.L_. The UK-based brand not only presented its loafer, but it also debuted a new collaboration withPUMA. Kicking off the partnership are two shoes that appeared on the runway: the CELL Umbre and CELL Midnight. Both feature leather uppers with a special two-tone treatment of black and brown, or black and blue. A special patina is developed over time, drawing inspiration from furniture. As for the silhouette's structure, a sleek upper features the curvature of the Formstrip, complemented by streamlined overlays at the midfoot and heel. Lifting the latter is a sculpted split-sole that offers additional linework at the midsole.
Willy Chavarriaset the tone for having a huge 2025 by hosting his first runway show back in January. He also unveiled his second set of footwear made in collaboration withadidas. Running with this momentum, the two returned to Paris to present their otherworldly takes on the Megaride AG and Megaride AG XL sneakers. A hard pivot from their classical menswear-inspired silhouettes to futuristic creations sees the new model's agile build reimagined with fresh linework and monochromatic makeovers that range from bright blue and pink to a stealthy all-black.
COMME des GARÇONSutilizes its various lines to collaborate with a range of footwear brands each season. Of the four partnerships that continued this season,CdGH+has brought back theNikeAir Max Dolce, putting its twist on the 2002 runner. Meanwhile,CdGHandNew Balancehave put together white and gray renditions of the new ABZORB 2010 sneaker.Junya Watanabe MANhas also teamed up with the American sportswear brand again, this time creating a new silhouette that ostensibly bridges the gap between modern performance footwear and lifestyle design.CdG Shirtrounded out the lineup by working on three two-tone colorways of the newASICSGEL-DS LYTE.
One brand that made its Paris Fashion Week debut this past week was none other than Parisian brandJAH JAH. Rooted in Rastafarian and Pan-African influence, this approach shines in a new collaboration with adidas. The two came together to style the Megaride S2 with a yellow, green, and red gradient across the upper that pays homage to Ethiopian culture. This element is shrouded in a diamond-shaped webbing that spans across the sneaker and contributes to the creation of the Three Stripes at the midfoot. A zipper runs down the tongue in place of a traditional lacing system, while Megaride cushioning provides comfort with each step.
Flip-flops were one of this season's most significant talking points. From Louis Vuitton to sacai, there was no avoiding the 'toes out' movement. Of the many notable offerings presented,Kiko Kostadinov'sflip-flop sandals were the most compelling. A three-layer footbed is combined with a leather T-strap that cradles the foot, assisted by a fully collapsible heel strap that offers functional versatility.
Song for the Mutewas quick to make headlines, offering a look at two footwear collaborations with adidas. Named the SFTM-008 and SFTM-009, the duo has reworked the Tokyo and Samba LX Freizeit sneakers. The former recounts the footwear worn as kids in PE class, leveraging potent color blocking with nylon and mesh upper options. As for the SFTM-009, it has elevated the Samba into a formal-leaning sneaker. A dress shoe-inspired sole backs leather uppers of black and chocolate brown.
POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF)debuted its SS26 collection at Pitti Uomo 108 two weeks ago. However, it saved one key reveal for Paris, participating inOn'slatest showroom. Building on the momentum from a successful initial year as partners, PAF and On have developed a new model, the Cloudboom Next. A familiar upper structure adopts a layered approach, with asymmetrical curves extending from the lateral to the medial side of each shoe. Its sole unit is stacked, offering a boost to one's stature while colorway options see the two return to monochromatic compositions of dark brown and off-white.
Ryota Iwai'sAURALEEbrings Japanese elegance to Paris each season, and this remained the case for SS26. Hidden within the modest runway show was the unveiling of another New Balance collaboration. Hot off reworking the T500 for FW25, the two have taken on one of New Balance's most anticipated sneakers in recent memory: the 204L. The slim, understated sneaker features a mix of premium materials, including mesh, suede, and leather across its various layers. Rather than placing an AURALEE wordmark on the outside of the shoe, the brand lets its work speak for itself, concocting colorways of yellow and taupe, as well as dark brown and off-white.
There's no denying that adidas had a breakout performance this season. Rounding out its exciting list of reveals is the latest looks fromWales Bonner. Their newly introduced Karintha sneaker is back in the mix alongside takes on the Gazelle Indoor, Adizero Adios, Country, and the F50 cleat. Not to mention a model that has been co-designed with Yohji Yamamoto's adidas line,Y-3, each style features a combination of Wales Bonner's fashionable flair and the Three Stripes' 76-year DNA.