New old trainers

Today’s rewear is a pair of Veja trainers.   (Thank you, Depop.)

One of the most memorable Netflix episodes this year was in ‘The Last Dance’.  Basketball player – no, idol – Michael Jordan signed a deal with Nike to endorse a new shoe.  At the time Nike was a tiny brand compared to adidas, but in its first year the Air Jordan sold $126 million of product.  A colossal sum in 1985.  In the Netflix show, Justin Timberlake tells how he would save money from cutting grass and doing chores, all to queue up at Foot Locker for a pair. 

This was when the trainer transformed from what you wore on your feet in the gym into the fashion item that meant everything.  Even if you don’t want your trainers to make a statement, they do.  Wearing a pair of Superga says something different to donning Vans.   So does wearing the latest design compared to still wearing a pair you’ve had for about six years (me!).   

One of the founders of Veja recently appeared in a podcast interview.  Disenchanted with greenwashing in the corporate world, he and a friend founded Veja.  The shoes are designed as classics (instead of requiring consumers to buy a new pair every season to keep up with the latest styles).  One of the materials used to make Veja is wild Amazonian rubber.  That’s important because if people can making money out of the forest it’s an incentive to preserve the trees instead of cutting them down.

My pair were purchased second hand for £35, and I love them. 

Which trainers do you wear, and why?  Please leave a comment below. 

PS Marion Cotillard wears Veja. What more could you want?

#ethicalstyle #sustainablewardrobe #preloved #sustainblestyle