Trend Spotting in Italy
I just got back from a kid-free, nine-day trip — thank you mom and dad for grandkid-sitting — to Italy. As you’d expect, what we enjoyed the most was the eating, drinking, and winery touring, which will result in two-a-days for months to come at Mind The Mat and Fitness on the Run to undo the sins of summer.
There is something else I love to do when traveling: people watch. Especially in Italy. If you want to figure out what is going to be big in the States down the road, look at what they are wearing on the streets of Milan, Florence, Turin, or any street in any Italian city for that matter. When it comes to footwear trends, they do it first.
Four years ago when I visited Florence, there were Supergas everywhere. I will admit I walked with my head held a bit high that trip because we had been carrying them at The Shoe Hive for years. Okay, maybe it is because I needed all-white or all-navy shoes for my kids to wear to Old Town Montessori and found Superga, only then realizing they made adult sizes as well and wouldn’t I like a pair myself.
So, maybe I can’t claim fashion clairvoyance, but I did know they were cute – and I am proud that we had them in stock at The Shoe Hive before they boomed in the States. On this trip, I even saw a pair of Supergas on heartthrob winery tour guide Ricardo — I don’t know which winery he helps run because I was too distracted to focus well on facts and figures during his presentation.
Since the Superga boom started, sneakers have continued to dominate footwear and based on what I saw in Europe this month, there is no sign of it slowing down. In fact, if possible it is speeding up. Everyone, I mean everyone, was wearing sneakers. It didn’t matter their ages; it didn’t matter if they were dressed up or dressed down, they had on sneakers.
It isn’t just limited to Supergas and slip-ons, even though there were plenty of folks wearing both; it really is an “anything goes” trend. The one new sneaker look that was on every Piazza was lace up “trainers” or what looked like more of a traditional running shoe with a heavier sole. We just unpacked a great one from Pedro Garcia in olive and black, Vince has two great options, and Tory Burch added brocade to her version.
Rest assured, whatever type of sneaker you are looking for, we should have plenty of options of classic styles and the newest trends happening in Italy and Alexandria.
- About the boutiques
Heard the buzz? The Shoe Hive & The Hive are a pair of luxury boutiques in Old Town Alexandria. Featuring both big name designers like Rag & Bone and Stuart Weitzman and smaller brands like AGL and L'Agence, our unique selection and impeccable service are what set us apart.
The Shoe Hive The Hive
127 S. Fairfax Street 301 Cameron Street
Alexandria, VA 22314 Alexandria, VA 22314
703.548.7105 703.548.7110
