I got many things wrong when I first landed in Japan. It took me more time than I care to admit to work out which button to press in order to flush the toilet. I was also throughly bamboozled by the face coverings I found myself being handed in fitting rooms – after a quick Google (turns out the idea is to prevent customers’ make-up staining the clothes), I opted for the “human falconry hood” approach which, aside from making me look like a serial killer, turned out to be quite a revelation.

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The fashion, though? That I understood straight away. It took no time at all for me to be won over by the impeccable, eclectic style of Tokyo’s design-loving inhabitants. And while it’s impossible to distill the city’s aesthetic (or any city’s aesthetic) into a single look, there was one undeniable recurring theme: black trainers. Unsurprisingly, cult Japanese brand Onitsuka Tiger was a popular brand of choice, both the Mexico 66s and the lesser-known Sclaws, but I also saw a good number of monochrome Adidas Taekwondos and Sambas.

Trying on trainers in Tokyo.

I even found myself, a longtime sneaker refusenik, slipping a pair of black Adidas Taekwondos into my shopping basket. And having worn them multiple times now, I can confirm that my black trainers somehow feel less, well, trainer-ish than the usual white versions I was never able to get on board with. Particularly given their sleek shape, which makes them perfect for wearing with skirts and dresses. Is this my gateway towards becoming a sneakerhead? If so, I only have Tokyo to blame.

But the trend transcends the city, black trainers are all over London, too (as well as my IG feed). It helps that trainer trends have been leaning towards minimalism in recent months, with dark colours and streamlined styles from the likes of Dries Van Noten, Prada and Toteme (none of them known for their sneaker offering) surging in popularity, and bridging the gap between trainers and flat shoes like ballet pumps.

For the purists out there, consider Nike Shox, On’s celebrity-approved Cloud X5s, or the classic, skater-coded Converse Chuck Taylor. Scroll down to see and shop our pick of black trainers for the season ahead.

Shop black trainers