Topshop releases cheaper version of £595 Balenciaga trainers

Is the ‘ugly trainer’ trend here to stay?

Ciara Chunky Trainers (Topshop)

Topshop has released a £38 knock-off version of the Balenciaga Triple S Trainer, which usually retail at a hefty £595.

Chunky, sturdy trainers, otherwise known as ‘dad’ trainers, are seemingly on the rise in the fashion world with brands such as Yeezy, Louis Vuitton and Reebok developing their own versions.

Now Topshop has jumped on the bandwagon, launching the Ciara Chunky Trainers that appear to have been inspired by Balenciaga.

People have been quick to point out the similarities between the Topshop and Balenciaga trainers on social media, with many stressing their aversion to the “ugly trainer obsession”.

“People either hate them or love them but I just got a pretty good dupe of the Balenciaga trainers in Topshop if you’re into ‘ugly’ shoes like me,” one person tweeted.

Another Twitter user commented: “It’s so funny how every high fashion company is trying to copy those Balenciaga speed trainers now.”

Balenciaga counts celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin as fans of the Triple S Trainer.

GOAT VP of Marketing Sen Sugano, wearing Balenciaga, attends GOAT and James Harden Celebrate NBA All-Star Weekend 2018 at Poppy on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for GOAT)

However, that hasn’t stopped people from taking every opportunity to make fun of the “ugly trainer” style trend.

“People will literally wear anything that’s ‘designer’ them Balenciaga trainers are UGLY AF,” one person emphatically wrote on Twitter.

Another individual compared them to the kinds of trainers they used to wear as a child.

“They look like them trainers kids used to get off the market back in the day when you banged them the heels would flash,” they wrote.

“Stick a Balenciaga tag on a pair of crocs and some of you lot would pay bags for them wouldn’t you. Lost the plot.”

The Ciara Chunky Trainers are currently sold out in white online at Topshop.

The Triple S Trainer is also sold out online at Balenciaga, with many people apparently willing to fork out a mini fortune on a questionably fashionable piece of apparel.