Most people who live in a major city think theirs is the coolest. Londoners swear by London. Berliners swear by Berlin. New Yorkers stand by the Big Apple, etc, etc. I’m in the first camp, of course – London has its own extra special style. But I do have to say, those Parisians are onto something, too. Often understated and artfully undone, Parisian style tends to be subtle yet considered. It’s no wonder that literally everyone wants to dress like a French girl these days, even if they are from the home counties.
Which brings me to a recent – and very brief – trip I took to Paris this week, during which I spent some time people watching from various cafes around town (as is my right, when in Paris), while drinking back-to-back espressos. There were obviously a lot of impeccable jeans, a lot of brown leather loafers. But also, one pair of trainers kept popping up in a way that was hard to ignore: the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s, in white and black.
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For a long time, the bright yellow Mexico 66s were the trainers to cop. This is partly because they’re the trainers Uma Thurman wears in Kill Bill – obviously – and partly because of models like Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber helping to usher in a new relevance. In Paris, though, it was the white colourway I was seeing most often. Usually the white and black pair, but more than once the all-white version. This particular colourway being so popular in Paris right now makes sense – while the mustard Mexico 66s are bold and statement-y, the white version give off a sense of quiet cool. Paired with some blue denim and a white tee in the summertime? Très beau.
We’re probably going to be seeing a lot more Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s out in the wild more generally – not just in Paris. Over the past 18 months or so, the Japanese brand has opened 28 stores across the world, from Shanghai to Barcelona and London. Its first ever flagship store, though? Well, that was in Paris of course…
