The Secret Psychology of Sneaker Colors
You think they randomly choose those glaring shades of Nike, Adidas and New Balance? Think again.
The Nike x Sacai VaporWaffle in all its color clashing glory.Credit...via Nike
By Mark C. O’Flaherty
May 24, 2021, 5:00 a.m. ET
Aqua blue, acid lime and grape purple. Electric orange interspersed with neon pink. Gray suede and cheetah print mixed with white and gold. These are not descriptions of a minimalist’s worst nightmare, but rather new color combinations from Adidas, Reebok and New Balance. And they are jarring by design.
In the age of the infinite scroll and the era of sneaker culture, where the competition to make the hottest, rarest, most wanted kick is more intense than ever, the shoe that clashes shades with the most force stops traffic — at least of the online kind. As a result, athletic shoe companies are increasingly becoming fluent aficionados of that old art: color theory.