Sneakerboy

You could be forgiven for missing the circular portal into Sneakerboy as you’re strolling down Little Bourke Street, but step inside and you will find a viewing chamber for a highly covetable selection of sneakers by fashion-elite labels such as Balenciaga, Saint Laurent Paris, Giuseppe Zanotti, Balmain, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs.

Designed by March Studio, the store is about as lavish as the sneakers which line the walls, with slick concrete floors, fluorescent shelves that house each shoe style and six metallic pod chairs integrated with iPads for online browsing. The display area is designed like a retro-futuristic underground train station, referencing the sneaker’s rise to fashion in New York in the ‘60s.

A unique retail model, there is no fixed point of sale or stock held on site. Instead, the store is a showroom, enabling customers to get hands on with the lux range of sneakers on display, before purchasing online via an application on a smart phone or iPad. From there, sneakers are delivered to your doorstep within three days.

The process gives the buyer total control of their purchase, and if you’re buying a pair of limited edition Balmain sneakers for around $2000 a pop, you’ll appreciate this top-shelf approach to trainers.