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At the start of this year, New Balance debuted the 1906L: a much-memed and highly divisive hybrid between a New Balance sneaker and a penny loafer, on the Junya Watanabe Autumn/Winter 2024 runway. Featuring the sleek, techy details beloved by the sports brand’s fans, atop a slimmed-down, slip-on silhouette in all black, the style melded business and pleasure into a shiny smart x sport shoe.
At first, there wasn’t much noise. But over the last two months, the sneaker brand has drip-fed campaigns around the shoe, teasing green and silver colourways ahead of their release this autumn. Each time they do, the style causes online uproar, ranging from both US and UK broadsheets marvelling over its existence (“Like the liger, the Cronut and the chortle before it, this shoe is a confounding hybrid” — Wall Street Journal; “New Balance mocked for new trainer loafers with shoppers claiming they’re the ‘worst’ shoes ever seen” — Daily Mail) to light burns from fashion folk on X (“RIP Steve Jobs you would’ve loved the New Balance snoafer” — 869 likes).
Over the last month, it’s been road tested by British Vogue, discussed heavily on menswear podcast ‘Throwing Fits’, and has been subject to deep dives from GQ and Dazed.
This ‘snoafer’ silhouette reflects a wider shift in the men’s footwear market since the sneaker bubble burst in 2022 towards new and alternative shoe styles, experts say. Hypebeasts are no longer queuing in the rain for Nike Air Jordans. Now, it’s about scouting Instagram for the latest Timberland collaboration; arguing in comments over Diemme’s hiking boot-cum-mule; or snagging the latest tasselled loafer style from Tyler the Creator. For many, this hybridised sneaker x formal style is a gateway to more polished footwear. But will the online commotion caused by these shoes be reflected in sales?
“You could view some of these new silhouettes as an attempt to try and re-engage customers that were feeling mass fatigue from the relentless — and for the most part uninspired — sneaker launch calendar,” says Joe Warner, previously head of buying and trade at London-based retailer Goodhood.
According to a recent report by Future Market Insights, the market for slip-on shoes hit $151 million in 2022 and is expected to double over the next 10 years. StockX also reports a similar trend: sales of loafers on the platform are up 39 per cent in the last 12 months.
Adaptation is key. While StockX has benefitted from an influx of smarter shoes, other sneaker resale platforms like Netherlands-based Restocks have shuttered. Nike and Adidas have abandoned scarcity models, and an oversupply of Air Jordans has caused resale prices to plummet. Ergo, there are far too many trainers and not enough people buying them. This is where loafers have gained ground.
“The [sneaker] hype bubble really burst a few seasons ago — at that time we definitely saw a mass pivot back towards classic styles,” Warner says.
First came the return of the affordable penny loafer via the likes of Duke and Dexter and GH Bass, and as sales in leisure footwear dropped by 11 per cent in 2022, fashion shoes — which includes loafers, dress shoes and heels — rose by 8 per cent, per Circana. Then, sneaker brands started to get involved. Alongside the New Balance 1906L, Nike ACG most recently revived the Rufus — a cushioned slip-on shoe from two decades ago. Meanwhile, Puma collaborated with genderless fashion house Palomo on a teak-coloured leather loafer with a sporty rubber sole.
There’s also the fact that, unlike trainers, you can wear loafers with a suit or dressed down in shorts, which corresponds with the formalisation of menswear we’ve seen in recent seasons. Those currently singing the loafer’s praises will tell you it’s both a smart perennial shoe and comfortable slip-on.
The rise and rise of the ugly shoe
Scott Oliver — founder of Good Morning Agency and previously a senior buyer at Dover Street Market — believes the consumer move towards stylish comfort began during the pandemic, with the rebirth of the Birkenstock Boston, a closed-toe suede clog. It was named “shoe of the year” by shopping platform Lyst in 2022, based on search data. Boasting Dior, Ader Error and Tekla Fabrics collaborations, Birkenstocks have become a stepping stone for consumers ditching the trainer and are available in a range of styles.
“[At first] it was easy shoes,” says Oliver. Think: Bostons, but also the rise of ‘ugly shoes’ — the post-Covid Crocs wave and the return of Uggs. “Then it became a look. The [new silhouettes] are creating a bridge for the younger consumer who isn’t ready to go full ‘hard’ [formal] shoe just yet.”
Consumers want to soft launch their hard-shoe era. And the designers behind the New Balance 1906L understand this. “There has been a shift towards formalwear but simultaneously a demand for comfort… and this shoe combines those worlds perfectly,” Lani Perry, senior product manager at New Balance, explained to Dazed in an article on the controversial 1906L design.
“Some of this goes back to Virgil [Abloh]” Oliver continues. “The blurring of the lines, what is high-end fashion now, what is contemporary fashion? It’s an amalgamation of all of those things tied into one.”
It remains to be seen how the New Balance snoafers will sell through in the autumn. “My prediction is we’ll continue to see newness and hybridity from sneaker and luxury brands trying to play into this space for a little while, but I don’t think it’s a forever move,” Warner explains. “Classics will always be classics, and the bigger sneaker brands will pivot back towards innovation and newness.”
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