Views: 37 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-09-26 Origin: Site
In previous years, "thick-soled shoes" and "dad shoes" almost became synonymous with trendy footwear. From Balenciaga's Triple S to Yeezy's thick-soled designs, these exaggerated shoe shapes dominated styles for a long time.
However, as German training shoes, Speedcat, Margiela and other models began to form a "thin-soled alliance," they even revitalized the once-declining women's sports shoe market. Recently, Rick Owens also attempted to launch thin-soled shoes, making people wonder if it means the end of thick-soled shoes?
The End of Thick Soles? How Rick Owens Shaped the Sneaker Market
For a long time, Rick Owens has been famous for his extreme thick-soled designs. From bulky high-top sneakers to tough high-heeled boots, he has shaped exaggerated thick soles almost as the brand's visual symbol, becoming an unshakable part of his aesthetic and formal language.
The heavy, abrupt, and even somewhat "counter-intuitive" sense of volume is the gene of Rick Owens' works and the most well-known symbol in the sneaker market.
Especially in 2010, his long-term collaboration with adidas on the Rick Owens x adidas joint series pushed the "giant shoe" aesthetics to the extreme. The sculptural Tech Runner appeared extremely avant-garde in the market at that time, accumulating a large number of young fans for the brand. Therefore, thick-soled shoes for Rick Owens are not just a popular element, but a carrier for continuous aesthetic output, forming an indispensable chapter in sneaker culture.
Recently, Rick Owens launched the thin-soled "Minimal Sneaker" in his 2025 autumn/winter "Concordians" collection, abandoning his usual thick-soled design, which is unusual in the brand's past product lines.
Adapting to Trends? Will Minimal Become the Next Potential Shoe Model?
A significant change in the new Minimal Sneaker is the use of a thin outsole, which has a contrast with his previous thick platforms and thick rubber outsoles. Although the sole retains his signature shark-tooth texture, which still provides sufficient grip and design identity, the overall height has been significantly reduced.
Although the sole has become thinner, in terms of materials, Rick Owens has not given up his preferences: high-quality calf leather, dyed leather, and suede are mixed. The colors also continue the dark tones and classic contrasting color combinations, such as black and cream white.
The practice of retaining traditional aesthetic symbols makes the new shoes both adapt to trends and have strong brand recognition.
Although the sole is thinner, the shoe shape is not completely foot-hugging or minimalist. The last still retains a certain sense of volume, and maintains Rick Owens' iconic "sculptural sense" through leather, eyelet design, color-blocking stripes, etc.
In terms of pricing, Rick Owens has also maintained a "high-end" positioning, with release channels similar to the past, available through the brand's official website and selected retailers. This indicates that Rick Owens has not created a reduced-cost competitor to cater to the affordable market.
Overall, Rick Owens' new thin-soled shoes are indeed a noteworthy signal, but they do not necessarily mean the complete end of the thick-soled era. Minimal has not been on social media like past works.
Although Rick Owens publicly stated in his early years that he did not want to follow market trends and even achieved great success through sneaker collaborations, within the brand, thick-soled designs still have a strong market and fan base, forming an important part of the brand image.
Under the overall trend, thin-soled shoes are becoming increasingly popular in the domestic market. Rick Owens successfully combined sneakers with dark design in the early days, promoting the birth and development of high-street aesthetics. This "test water" of thin-soled shoes also releases a signal of change to the market.
Not only Rick Owens, but also Prada's Collapse and Margiela's Sprinter models are trying to promote the sneaker market and are regarded as "high-end" options being accepted by the market. Especially as Balenciaga's Zen shoes become popular again, becoming a "cost-effective" item.
The release of Minimal undoubtedly sends a positive directional signal, but it is not a completely subversive change. Rick Owens' Minimal Sneaker is an important sign that even designers known for thick soles have begun to respond to the thin-soled trend and adapt to aesthetic fatigue and market trends to a certain extent.
