White Trainers Will Always Be Chic, But These 19 Brown Pairs Are Everywhere This Winter

It’s official: winter is here, and everything is brown. And when I say everything, I mean it! From camel-coloured coats to chocolate loafers, everywhere I turn, this cosy hue feels seconds behind, and has made a warm splash as the colour of the season (the shade Mocha Mousse is actually Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2025). Looking to incorporate this rich seasonal shade into my winter capsule wardrobe, I started somewhere unexpected: trainers. Because whilst I expect to feel an urge to buy brown boots and loafers? Trainers, I’d normally opt for black or white.

Brown shoes have been building in momentum for some time. From Miu Miu’s boat shoes (which landed the number-five spot in the Lyst Index Q2 report) to the unexpected resurgence of the Timberland loafer, warm-toned footwear is definitely having a moment. With the trainer world moving slightly quicker than the rest of the footwear market, you may have spotted brown trainers being championed on the sidelines by Adidas, Onitsuka Tiger and Puma over the past few seasons.

From taupe Speedcats to the viral SL72s loved by Bella Hadid, every iteration of brown trainers has been drawing focus for some time. However, the shift truly came when luxury designers took note. From luxe mocha leather styles paired with oversized tailoring to deep-chocolate technical runners grounding fluid knitwear, it was the creation of Loewe’s Ballet Runner 2.0 and the Dries van Noten Leather-Trimmed Suede Sneakers for this year’s spring/summer season that solidified brown trainers as the new white.

I’ll be honest: trainers weren’t always on my radar for winter. To me, boots felt like the obvious choice (let’s be honest, a shearling-lined pair are far cosier). But over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how the right pair of sneakers can anchor an outfit in a way that’s both cool and comfortable. My brain made the switch when I bought my first pair of brown trainers: the ever-popular Adidas Samba. Since then, trainers have quietly become a staple of my cold-weather wardrobe (especially when I’m clocking up miles on my commute to work), and based on what I’m seeing on my social media feeds, I’m not alone.