Move over ballet flats — these ballet *sneakers* are what all the cool girls are wearing

Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid, and Amelia Gray are all wearing this ballet shoe trainer hybrid

Ballet sneakers worn by Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Amelia Gray
Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Amelia Gray wearing ballet sneakers
(Image credit: L-R: VIVAIA, @dualipa, Backgrid)

It felt like the day would never come, but after two years (at least!) of ballet flats being the summer shoe, the coquette balletcore stalwart has been knocked off its podium by—what else?—ballet sneakers (or pilates pump depending on your chosen mode of exercise).

In the ever-evolving world of hype footwear, two things are for certain: practicality and style must coexist. Gone are the days of pin-thin stilettos and vertiginous heels, today’s fashion girls — Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid, Amelia Gray, to name a few — are switching out the power shoes of yore for limited-edition sneaker drops and niche footwear. Elsewhere in fashion land ‘ugly trainers' continue to hold firm. Basically, there’s a lot of scrabbling to find the next cult shoe to usurp the ubiquitous Margiela Tabi.

Bella Hadid wearing VIVAIA's ballet sneakers

Bella Hadid wearing VIVAIA's ballet sneakers

(Image credit: VIVAIA)

The latest contender plays to at least two of last year’s most enduring trends: balletcore and ugly trainers. Beloved for their delicate, minimalist design, ballet flats quickly became synonymous with poise and grace, but after the over-saturation of coquette, in which you couldn't turn a London street corner without bumping into an oversized bow or satin ballet flat, the trend pendulum has shifted towards a slightly more robust and, dare I say it, ergonomic silhouette.

Amelia Gray wearing VIVAIA’s ballet sneakers

Amelia Gray wearing VIVAIA’s ballet sneakers

(Image credit: Backgrid via Vivaia)

Designers are reimagining ballet flats and melding them with the practical elements of trainers. VIVAIA’s pair, which Bella Hadid has been wearing on repeat ties into another trend still: the barefoot movement. No longer confined to new age types and tech bros (why does anything remotely Gorpcore-coded become the axis in which these two divergent demographics coalesce?), the barefoot movement has been steadily gaining traction. The unlikely rise of the Vibram FiveFingers (an ugly shoe if ever I saw one) is perhaps the best example of this. By contrast, VIVAIA’s Cristina and Yana pairs are a much more accessible entry point into the barefoot trend.

They’re crafted from recycled materials with a triple-layer sole, two interchangeable lacing styles, and — most pleasing for overpackers like me — a foldable design for travel. They’re also machine-washable (apparently the first of its kind). No wonder the Bella Hadid-endorsed Cristina style has sold out within a week and been restocked three times in one month.

Bella Hadid wearing VIVAIA's ballet sneakers

Bella Hadid wearing VIVAIA's ballet sneakers

(Image credit: VIVAIA)

Bella Hadid isn’t the only Depop-loving ballet sneaker-wearing celebrity either. Dua Lipa has been dallying about in the Pilates studio in a pair of Puma Speedcat ballet flats, which, true to this trend might be the only pair to surpass the straight-up Speedcat in ubiquity. Amelia Gray, another VIVAIA fan, has been seen in all manner of sneaker-fied ballet flats.

Dua Lipa wearing Puma Speedcat ballet sneakers

Dua Lipa wearing Puma Speedcat ballet sneakers

(Image credit: @dualipa)

The demand for ballet trainers is not just a passing whim — it's backed by solid numbers. StockX, the market leader for streetwear and sneakers, reported a 119% year-on-year increase in searches for “ballerina” shoes and , proving there’s growing interest in this sartorial crossbreed. Scroll down below for our edit of the best ballet sneakers (just down deck them in bows).

Shop the best ballet sneakers

Mischa Anouk Smith
News and Features Editor

Mischa Anouk Smith is the News and Features Editor of Marie Claire UK.

From personal essays to purpose-driven stories, reported studies, and interviews with celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and designers including Dries Van Noten, Mischa has been featured in publications such as Refinery29, Stylist and Dazed. Her work explores what it means to be a woman today and sits at the intersection of culture and style. In the spirit of eclecticism, she has also written about NFTs, mental health and the rise of AI bands.