It’s official - boxing shoes are set to be 2025’s biggest trend
Fashion has long flirted with the concept of sport. From football-themed collections courtesy of Martine Rose to sports-style collaborations à la Wales Bonner x Adidas, Nike x Louis Vuitton and Loewe x On et al, the two industries rarely disentangle from one another.
However, one corner of sports which remains relatively untouched by the fashion industry is boxing. Considering their similarities, this is a surprise. Fashion and boxing share a core principle: performance meets spectacle. Both demand precision, endurance, and the ability to command a space - whether a runway or a ring.
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Miu Miu were the first ‘big’ brand to toy with the concept back in 2010. For its spring/summer show, the Italian house sent models down the runway in knee-high boxing boots, complete with preppy colourful and intricate lace-up detailing paired with mini dresses and shin-climbing socks.
Subsequently, Bella Hadid hit the runway sporting in white boxing gloves during Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood’s spring/summer 2023 runway presentation. Yuhan Wang followed suit, pairing bulbous boxing gloves with swathes of lace, Americana shoulder pads, floral stockings and mini ruffled skirts for its whimiscal spring/summer 2025 collection.
A season later, Stella McCartney joined the conversation, incorporating the streamlined shoe into her latest collaboration with sports giant Adidas. The shoe, coined the ‘Rasant Trainer’ takes inspiration from Adidas’ archival Monza sneakers and was debuted on the catwalk by Model of the Year 2024 winner Alex Consani during Paris Fashion Week. Fellow familiar faces such as Ella Emhoff, Barbara Palvin and diver Tom Daley have also been spotted in the brilliant bootie.
“The Rasant sneaker refreshes an Adidas style I featured in my first-ever runway show at Stella, brought into the now with relevant design updates and vegan recycled materials. It feels right for the world of today – and the diverse generation of tomorrow,” Stella McCartney notes via her website, which platforms sporty, sexy designs for women.
Boxing boots have long been essential for speed, support, and agility in the ring. Early designs were basic leather shoes, offering little beyond grip, but as boxing evolved, so did the footwear. By the mid-20th century, high-top boots became standard, providing ankle support without restricting movement.
Muhammad Ali’s lightweight boots reflected his ‘float like a butterfly’ style, while Mike Tyson favored sturdy, no-frills designs for power. Today, brands like Nike and Everlast integrate advanced materials for speed and stability. Modern boxing boots are a fusion of tradition and technology, designed to enhance footwork while making a statement in the ring and pack a punch.
The renaissance of the shoe comes at an interesting time. Women in boxing remains a hot topic, with both politics and pop culture picking up on the theme.
Back in 2024, it was announced that actress Sydney Sweeney is set to star as Christy Martin, popularly known as ‘The Coal Miner's Daughter,’ in an upcoming project. Born on June 12, 1968, in Mullens, West Virginia, she gained prominence in the nineties, becoming one of the first women to achieve mainstream recognition in the sport.
The same year marked the twentieth anniversary of Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award winning film Million Dollar Baby, which starred Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman and followed the story of a 31-year-old Missouri native on her journey to becoming a professional boxer.
Most notably however, was the issue of women’s boxing in regards to the Paris Olympics. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif faced scrutiny over her eligibility in women's boxing due to allegations concerning her gender. Despite being disqualified from the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships, she competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning gold. Her participation ignited debates on gender in sports, leading to online harassment and legal actions to defend her identity.
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Boxing shoes stand as a testament to the history and evolution of women’s sport, embodying both strength and agility. But beyond the ring, they’ve taken on a new life in fashion - sleek, structured, and refreshing in the extreme. With their high-top silhouette and retro appeal, they’re the perfect blend of sporty, stylish and statement-making, proving that performance wear can be just as chic as it is functional.
