In contrast to the slim silhouette of Adidas Sambas, it seems that people are finally in the mood for something different—in Paris at least. I come across many photos of people in Paris throughout my workdays, and I always look to see what shoes they're wearing. Often, it's sneakers, which makes sense in such a walkable city. Instead of the retro '70s-inspired sneakers that have been so popular over the last several seasons (not that those are "out" by any means), people are going back to chunky sneakers that are reminiscent of styles that were popular in the '90s. Think Princess Diana in her bike shorts and chunky white sneakers. As far as brands go, the favorites seem to be Nike, Salomon, Asics, and New Balance, and they're typically paired with casual outfits.
Chunky '90s-inspired sneakers may not be quite as versatile as retro '70s styles, but they make up for it by making anything they're paired with look exponentially cooler. Just for fun, I found a slew of chunky-sneaker outfits from the streets of Paris to inspire you and some of the internet's best chunky sneakers to fill your closet with. Scroll to expand your sneaker collection in the most Parisian way.
The Inspiration: Princess Diana in the '90s
Chunky Sneakers in Paris
More often than not, people in Paris pair chunky sneakers with baggy jeans.
Add a blazer for an elevated sneaker outfit.
A baseball cap is a perfect companion to chunky sneakers.
New Balance sneakers are proving to be popular in Paris.
A trench with chunky sneakers is very Parisian.
The perfect casual outfit combo.
Somewhat surprisingly, metallic chunky sneakers are popular in Paris as of late.
You can't go wrong with a neutral-colored pair.
Pairing a leather jacket and black pants is a great fall combo.
Stark white sneakers and a track jacket feels fresh.
Consider this your PSA to order a pair of chunky sneakers STAT.
Shop Our Chunky-Sneaker Picks
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Don't Buy New Sambas Without Seeing These Cool-Girl Sneakers That Just LaunchedThey might or might not also be from Adidas.
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It's Shocking How Much Cooler This '90s Sneaker Trend Makes Jeans and a Blazer LookThey transform classic outfits.
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35 Incredibly Chic Finds I Immediately Shared With My Fashion-Editor Friends When I Found ThemThey're so good I want them all.
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French Women With Good Taste Are Exclusively Wearing These 7 Elevated Summer Accessory TrendsStraight from the streets of Paris and the beaches of the South of France.
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A Parisian Goes to Ibiza—Here's Everything She PacksSabina Socol is my fave French It girl.
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This Stylish French Woman Paired Summer's Controversial Shoe and Shorts Trends, and the Outfit Is So ChicSee how to re-create the unexpected look.
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Everyone Cool in Seoul Is Already Calling These New Sneakers the Next SpeedcatsComing soon to a pair of feet near you.
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From A-Listers to the F1 Paddock—Inside the Meteoric Rise of 2025's It SneakersLet's ride.
