The 12 Best Black Trainers for Women, According to Experts

When it comes to the most multi-functional shoes in our wardrobes, the styles that first spring to mind have one thing in common: colour. Be it a loafer, a pair of boots or ballet flats, you’ll find that the hardest-working hue amongst any footwear variant is always an inky hue. Yet when it comes to trainers, truly one of the most indispensable styles a person could own is a pair of the best black trainers.

From charcoal tones in low-profile silhouettes to retro-inspired shapes in raven tints, the best black trainers provide a sleek and utilitarian finish to any ensemble, whether that be a casual monochromatic look or something more polished, but seeking a practical touch. In fashion capitals like London, New York and Paris, especially, the best black trainers ensure that you’re not orthopedically supported throughout your travels, but are dressed for wherever the day takes you.

Indeed, these are cities that often err on the side of business, where days can be packed with activity and an energetic buzz that sees you flit across neighbourhoods, boroughs or arrondissements with abandon. As a result, inhabitants of these cultural touchstones need to be dressed with a high-step count in mind.

Whilst there are other trainer shades that can service this need, black trainers offer a more demure and understated way of doing so. Because the beauty of black trainers is the fact that they blend into whatever you’re wearing, rather than standing out.

“We’ve always loved [the colour] black,” explains Liushu Lei and Yutong Jiang, the co-founders and creative designers of Shanghai-based womenswear brand Shushu/Tong. “It gives room for silhouette and textures, and it’s endlessly versatile,” they add. Proving this point exactly is the pair’s recent collaboration with Asics, the Gel-Kinetic™ Fluent Sneakers, which riff on the classic trainer shape and shade with the addition of an ornamental and oversized bow. Speaking to Who What Wear UK about the new launch, they explain that the choice to feature this darker hue arises from their desire “to find a new design language that organically merges our classic symbols with high-function running shoes”.

They’re amongst a wave of designers to recontextualise what can be considered as black trainers. We’re increasingly seeking shoes that can serve several purposes and suit an array of occasions, maligning the sneakers that are exclusively sporty or can’t pull their weight when worn with jeans, skirts or trousers. Renowned for its use of mesh, London-based footwear brand Dear Frances has recently released a pair of black trainers that feature sheer panelling to offset the traditional form of black trainers.

“I felt there was a gap for a more nuanced, refined trainer,” explains the label’s founder, Jane Frances. “The Balla Trainer is every inch the day and evening silhouette, easily transitioned with quiet confidence,” she adds. “It’s stylish and comfortable in equal measure, nodding to a sports aesthetic, but it’s also streamlined and grounded. A special addition to a purposeful wardrobe.”