© New Balance
We are a society that loves hybrids. We already knew cars, cronuts and sporks, but now one more is added to the list: the snoafer.
As the name suggests, the snoafer is an ingenious mix of sneaker and loafer. Ready to wear and without laces, but with the sole and fabric of a sports shoe. Comfortable, but you could also take it to work.
The snoafer is the latest, sensational design from sneaker manufacturer New Balance. The shoes were first introduced to the public in February this year at the Junya Watanabe Man show during Paris Fashion Week in a green edition and now a gray version is also doing the rounds on the internet.
Controversy
Although the shoes will not be available until August this year, they are already stirring the mood in the fashion world. Some people find them ugly, others want to bring them into their home immediately.
“It’s the best of both worlds, a shoe for when you want a classy alternative to a sneaker, a more dressy alternative to a mule,” said Jian DeLeon, Men’s Fashion Director at Nordstrom, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
In short, they create controversy and in 2024 there is no better way to put your product in the spotlight. Whether we will actually spot the snoafers on the streets remains to be seen until August.
