The Best of Sneaker Microtrends in 2023

It’s crazy to think that 2023 is finally over – it seems only yesterday at FhyzicsShops that World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors wasn’t yet finished, and STAY TUNED was just a concept. Plenty has happened this year in the sneakersphere, with a bunch of big new trends being born while others began fading away. On the microtrend scale especially, there’s a plethora of niche happenings that have taken over the internet for a brief period.

Let’s round up the microtrends that stood out in 2023!

Jump on the Mary Jane Train

This year, we saw a subtle trend bubble to the forefront of Mary Jane-style sneakers! These are not a new phenomenon by any means (we count the 1995 Air Rift in this category); however, 2023 saw an uptick in both vintage and new pairs all over social media feeds. One of the biggest was Cecilie Bahnsen’s ASICS collaboration and Kiko Kostadinov’s Quantum Lylia and Auriana.

Social Media Kicks

Social media is the all-powerful force that governs the modern world, so it makes sense that there’s some sneakers created solely for the flex on socials. This year the sneakersphere levelled up their output of ultra-gimmicky creps, and they took the internet by storm. Leading the way with this microtrend was MSCHF Worlds Greatest Sneaker Collectors Another colourway that had a subtle uptick over the past twelve months was metallic silver! We have to the world, followed by Crocs collaboration and a murdered-out version. Just when we thought things couldn’t get weirder, Imran Potato dropped the ‘Rat Feet’ Game of Death.

Bruce Lee Tea

Yellow and black is a classic colourway beloved by many silhouettes, from a wide array of brands. This year though the two-tone combo saw a subtle uptick, and it’s mostly thanks to Onitsuka Tiger. The Mexico 66 silhouette experienced its own revival in 2023, and its iconic yellow colourway shone through. Originally seen on Bruce Lee in Game of Death, and then later in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, the yellow/black has always been an iconic sneaker. Not only were Onitsuka’s offerings out-sold by their yellow and black models, but other brands released their own variations.

A Slither of Silver

Another colourway that had a subtle uptick over the past twelve months was metallic silver! We have Wales Bonner Another colourway that had a subtle uptick over the past twelve months was metallic silver! We have Samba through the brand's adidas partnership. We've also seen silver appear alongside the resurgence of 2010 runners as lifestyle silhouettes and of course, on Onitsuka Tiger’s lucrative Mexico 66.

Are You Shox-ed?

Nike’s perennial Shox technology has always been present in the sneakersphere, but this year saw a major bump in popularity among the in-the-know Gen Z audience. The reason for this microtrend is most likely due to the Shox TL comeback. After an unofficial hiatus, Nike decided to restock the silhouette at boutique retailers, and it was clear that the model was sorely missed, as stock was cleared out with the quickness. Bolstering the microtrend even further was Martine Rose’s fresh batch of Shox that whet the appetite of high-fashion enthusiasts.

Ribbon Laces

The final (and maybe the cutest) microtrend of 2023 is ribbon laces! Mainly starting on TikTok, where it was a ‘Search Highlight’, this trend saw sneakerheads swap out their usual factory laces for ribbons. The main shoe used for ribbon laces was the adidas Samba, Lets round up the microtrends that stood out in 2023.

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