Best men’s luxury sneakers (2026): buy these, skip those

Every piece, one line each

Buy: Common Projects Original Achilles Low ($425–$475). Clean nappa leather low-top with stitched Margom sole and gold serial number. Buy it if you want the reference minimal white sneaker; skip it if you want cushioning for long walks.

Buy: Loro Piana Summer Walk Sneaker ($950–$1,100). Suede sneaker on a light rubber sole. Buy it if you want quiet-luxury comfort; skip it if you want a clean white leather look.

Buy: Brunello Cucinelli Calfskin Sneaker ($850–$1,000). Soft calf sneaker with suede heel tab. Buy it if you want a refined sneaker for smart-casual; skip it if you want value.

Buy: Berluti Playtime Scritto Sneaker ($1,300–$1,500). Venezia leather with Scritto engraving. Buy it if you want a luxurious, distinctive sneaker; skip it if you want minimal.

Buy: Prada Downtown Leather Sneaker ($850–$1,000). Smooth leather with enamel triangle. Buy it if you want a polished designer sneaker; skip it if you want minimal.

Buy: Maison Margiela Replica Low ($600–$700). Gum sole trainer. Buy it if you want minimal heritage; skip it if you want bold.

Buy: Zegna Triple Stitch Sneaker ($800–$950). Triple elastic stitch tongue. Buy it if you want an easy slip-on luxury sneaker; skip it if you want lace-ups.

Buy: Santoni Leather Sneaker ($800–$950). Hand-finished sneaker. Buy it if you want a shoemaker’s sneaker; skip it if you want bold.

Buy: Berluti Playtime Suede ($1,300–$1,500). Suede Playtime. Buy it if you want luxe; skip it if you want minimal.

Buy: Common Projects Track 80 ($450–$550). Retro runner. Buy it if you want minimal runner; skip it if you want leather.

Buy: Brunello Cucinelli Suede Runner ($1,000–$1,200). Suede runner. Buy it if you want refined; skip it if you want bold.

Buy: Axel Arigato Clean 90 ($200–$260). Clean leather sneaker from Sweden. Buy it if you want a minimal sneaker for less; skip it if you want Italian luxury.

Buy: Hogan Interactive H Flock ($450–$550). Casual sneaker. Buy it if you want Italian value; skip it if you want status.

Buy: Bally Champion Sneaker ($500–$600). Leather sneaker. Buy it if you want Swiss heritage; skip it if you want status.

Consider: Tom Ford Warwick Sneaker ($990–$1,150). Smooth leather low-top. Buy it if you want sleek; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Golden Goose Super-Star Men ($545–$650). Hand-distressed leather with star. Buy it if you love the worn-in look; skip it if you want clean shoes.

Consider: Hermès Bouncing Sneaker ($1,100–$1,300). Bouncing sneaker. Buy it if you want Hermès; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Louis Vuitton LV Trainer ($1,300–$1,600). Virgil Abloh trainer. Buy it if you want LV; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Gucci Screener Sneaker ($890–$1,000). Distressed retro runner. Buy it if you want retro Gucci; skip it if you want clean.

Consider: Dior B23 High-Top ($1,200–$1,350). Oblique canvas high-top. Buy it if you want Dior; skip it if you want subtle.

Consider: Rick Owens Geobasket ($1,200–$1,500). High-top. Buy it if you want avant-garde; skip it if you want minimal.

Consider: Alexander McQueen Oversized Men ($650–$750). Exaggerated sole. Buy it if you want height; skip it if you want minimal.

Consider: Gucci Tennis 1977 ($750–$850). Canvas tennis shoe. Buy it if you want retro; skip it if you want leather.

Consider: Christian Louboutin Louis Junior ($1,095–$1,250). High-top with red sole. Buy it if you love Louboutin; skip it if you want quiet.

Consider: Christian Louboutin Fun Louis Junior ($1,200–$1,400). Decorated high-top. Buy it if you want statement; skip it if you want versatile.

Skip: Dior B30 Sneaker ($1,150–$1,300). Technical runner. Buy it if you want Dior; skip it if you want value.

Skip: Louis Vuitton LV Skate Sneaker ($1,300–$1,500). Skate. Buy it if you want LV; skip it if you want value.

Skip: Lanvin Curb Sneaker ($750–$900). Oversized laces skate shoe. Buy it if you love the Curb; skip it if you want versatile.

Skip: Balenciaga Triple S ($1,100–$1,250). Stacked triple sole. Buy it if you want a statement chunky sneaker; skip it if you want timeless.

How we sorted them

How we make the call: we read the house’s own product details and care guides, compare materials and construction, follow owners’ long-term experience and track the usual retail and resale prices. A piece gets “Buy” only if we would tell a friend to spend that money on it. No fashion house can pay for a verdict. Sole: a stitched cupsole or Margom sole can be resoled and lasts years; glued chunky soles are not repairable.

When to buy

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

US and Europe

Buying in Europe: Italian and French sizes are used on most designer shoes, and they differ from US sizes by brand. Check the house’s own size chart, and remember that many Italian brands run about half a size small.

Wait for the end-of-season sales in January and June for seasonal colors; core white leather sneakers rarely get more than 10–15% off.