25 White (and Off-White) Sneakers To Buy This Season

Finding a new pair of white sneakers seems like a straightforward task, but with so many options it can be overwhelming. That’s where our comprehensive list of some of the best white kicks to shop right now will come in handy. There are the classics (the shoes you can re-purchase again and again each year as you know they’re always in style) and the retro styles that are a throwback to a previous era. Plus, we’ve got vegan, designer and collab limited-edition sneakers that bring two diverse brands together. Read on for our top picks.

Classic white
These are your timeless, never-go-out-of-fashion sneakers that can be paired with any outfit. There’s ethical French fashion brand Veja’s iconic V-10, that’s got a white V side design, cream base and lots of texture. For fans of the much-loved designer Virgil Abloh, seek out Off-White’s Low Vulcanized Canvas for slick design details, a chunky recycled rubber sole, cute 3D arrow details and, of course, that signature zip-tie tag.

There are a couple of effortlessly cool options by New York City’s Rag and Bone. For women there’s the White Retro Runner Sneaker with a black chunky sole that gives it a design edge. For men we like the Retro Court Shoe as it melds sleek, minimal design with the comfort of an ortholite footbed. If you don’t have time for laces, Melbourne-born Radical Yes! do a fun lace-free sneaker, the Journey 3.0 Velcro Trainer.

Aussie label Elk’s Vikran sneaker continues to be a great blank canvas to the rest of your fabulous outfit, while very cool East London brand Stepney Workers Club’s stylish white Dellow leather shoes with a cream-coloured base can be dressed up or down. Plus, they’re very comfy. If you want a more sporty look, Adidas’s NMD_V3 in cloud white will do the trick.

The retro sneakers

It’s a pretty great time for old-school sneaker fans as many of the leading brands have brought back some of their most beloved designs. Reebok’s classic trainers feature the exact same design as the 1983 original, but they’ve decided to make it modern by using vegan leather. There are a couple of colour options but we’re into the white with bold red stripes. Channel those ’80s teen-movie vibes with the unisex high-top Reebok Ex-O-Fit. It’s got velcro up top and laces down low.

Then there’s Nike’s 1982 Air Force 1, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It comes in a special commemorative box with an old-school swing tag and a toothbrush (which was a tool of choice in the 1980s for keeping your kicks clean). We love its royal blue detail. The ultimate retro skater shoe is Vans, and its Old Skool True White, first introduced in 1977, are made with white canvas and white leather details. It’s the perfect, low-key summer shoe to throw on with shorts or a dress.

The collaboration shoe

If you’re after a limited-edition sneaker, shop these. And the tip is get them while you can. Brazilian-born Cariuma (which is B Corp-certified ) has partnered with the colour kings, the Pantone Colour Institute, for a colourful range of sneakers embossed with the brand logo. Go for the Snow White Pantone sneaker with organic white cotton, cork interior and a natural rubber sole. There’s also a collab with National Geographic that includes a smart white high-top canvas sneaker with a turtle motif on the side. All sales support the National Geographic Society.

While this is possibly too colourful for a white-shoe list, this one by Melbourne homewares and bedding brand Kip & Co and Aussie shoe brand Volley is fun. The white unisex low-rise canvas shoes are splashed with a fun floral print motif.

Go vegan

The leather-alternative sneaker scene is booming and these are the ones that have caught our eye. Undo for Tomorrow makes a canvas high-top white number with a beautiful rainbow-coloured sole called the Nuven High Vanilla Rainbow. The brand manufactures ethically in Brazil using recycled, organic and upcycled materials. There’s also Brazil-made Thousand Fell’s ultimate men’s white court shoe sneaker with a classic shape and coloured panel detail. The shoe’s interiors are made from recycled yoga mats, while the uppers from recycled plastic bottles, and it’s got a natural rubber sole. Pangaia uses repurposed waste from the winemaking industry, specifically discarded grape skins, stalks and seeds, which are turned into lightweight grape leather. The result? These very handsome shoes.

New Zealand’s Allbirds has a sleek women’s high-top sneaker called the Tree Toppers in a soft (and very machine-washable) eucalyptus-tree fibre. Allbirds is B Corp-certified and carbon neutral, the fibre is responsibly sourced, the sole is made from a sugarcane product and the laces from recycled polyester. If you’re not a fan of laces, Nothing New makes a slip-on white fabric sneaker called the Women's Wave that’s made from 100 per cent recycled materials.
Nothing New also has a great men’s classic high-top white sneaker, which make for a great alternative to your usual canvas shoes.

The designer kicks

If you want to splurge on sneakers, this is how to do it. Acne Studios’s chunky high-top is inspired by basketball shoes and has textural design elements in white, soft grey and off-white. Have a bit of fun with Lanvin’s Clay low-top white leather sneakers with a soft pink transparent rubber sole.

A platform sneaker heel is still trending, so if that’s your thing get Alexander McQueen’s Larry Oversized heel sneaker with a very thick rubber base with a silver hologram leather detail throughout. Finally, Feit’s Low Latex sneakers are hand-stitched from a single piece of leather.

This story was first published on August 18, 2021 but was updated on November 8, 2022 to reflect new styles and shoes.