As active lifestyles increasingly wield an impact across consumer segments and territories, sports-led options continue to dominate the casual footwear landscape. The retro runners that have been so omnipresent for the past decade aren’t going away, but they’ll take a football-based turn for 2027 and beyond, while the global running boom will similarly have an influence on everyday, non-performance-based footwear choices.

The draw of nature as an escape and antidote to modern life is immense and sees no sign of abating – with consumers increasingly weaving outdoor-inspired apparel and footwear into their everyday wardrobes, as highlighted in The Active & Outdoorsification Opportunity. Elsewhere, we see outdoor escapism taking a darker and a more romantic turn in footwear with a soft Goth quality; for kids, a forest fairy feel comes into play.

Nostalgia continues to drive so many trends across fashion, again being used as a coping mechanism in uncertain times. However, our nostalgic casual footwear directions are also influenced by other key drivers, including a desire to embrace human imperfection in reaction to digital perfection, and a more fundamental need for pragmatism and longevity born out of cost-of-living challenges.

The casual footwear boom has shifted consumer attitudes and increased demand for comfort for all occasions. This is giving rise to new categories of stylishly elevated, comfortable options that will take you from bedroom to boardroom. Embellishment also comes into play, lifting pragmatically comfort-led looks into new sophisticated territory.