In 2024 a slim, quiet trainer with a "'70s marathon spirit" did something sneakers rarely do: it made a fashion crowd stop talking about logos. Lyst ranked the Dries Van Noten pair ninth on its hottest product index for that year, and Vogue pointed out why. There is hardly any branding, just subtle curved lines and Italian craftsmanship.

That restraint is the whole point of Dries Van Noten sneakers. Dries launched his own collection in 1986, after he and fellow Antwerp Royal Academy graduates rented a truck and set up at London Fashion Week, and he comes from a family of tailors, three generations deep. The founder has since stepped back, and Julian Klausner, who joined the house in 2018, now leads it as creative director. The shoes still feel tailored, not sporty.

The first group is the leather low-tops, and I would start with the Black Leather Ballerina Sneakers with cream trim. They are slim enough to wear under a wide wool trouser without looking like gym shoes. The cognac lambskin pair with the crinkled finish is softer and a little rumpled, which I like with straight denim. The beige snake-embossed pair has a square toe and a treaded sole, so it reads dressier than it is. The red nappa calfskin ballerinas are the loud one, and they work best against a plain gray coat.

Practical tip: lace them a bit looser than you would a runner. The slim profile looks best when the tongue sits flat, and the thin sole needs a sock that does not bunch.

Suede is where these shoes get friendly. The brand's own spec for the marathon-inspired pair is suede with a nappa upper and a thin signature sole, and the thinness is what you feel on the pavement. Plan on a walking pair, not a hiking pair.

The Black Suede Sneakers with white side panels are the easy entry, with a square toe and a logo embossed at the tongue. The Red Suede pair and the Burgundy pair share that shape, so pick by what is already in your closet. Burgundy goes with navy and olive, red wants black or camel. The Tan Suede pair with tonal panels is the quietest, and the Slate leather-trimmed pair, dark gray suede with blue panels and a slight heel, is the one I would wear to the office with a suit.

Fitting-room test: run your thumb along the serrated trim at the laces and check that it lies flat when the shoe is on. Then walk on a hard floor. Suede with a thin sole should feel snug at the heel, not slippery.

What I would skip: the light beige suede if you commute in the rain. Treat any pair before the first wear, and keep the dust bag that comes with each pair for storage.

The marathon shoes of the seventies had skinny profiles, slightly curved lines. That is the reference Dries Van Noten borrowed, and you can see it most clearly in this group.

The black suede and leather pair with burgundy tonal trim is the most faithful to the idea. The Teal pair with brown leather accents and the Mustard pair with brown trims are the ones for people who wear a lot of neutrals and want one loud foot. For something stranger, the Snake-Effect Leather Sneakers in brown have white leather trims, and the Distressed Leather pair has stitched uppers that look broken in from day one. Then there is satin: the Pink Satin Sneakers with leather trim, and the gray satin pair with quilted topstitching. Satin on a trainer sounds precious, and in practice it looks great with a plain white tee and jeans.

Styling idea: match the sneaker to one accent in your outfit, such as a mustard scarf with the mustard pair, and keep everything else quiet.

What I would skip: pink satin on a day with a wet commute. Satin marks easily, so save it for dry days and carry a soft cloth.

Dries is an Antwerp Royal Academy graduate, and his shoes keep a tailor's sense of proportion. Some shapes here change the proportion of the whole outfit, so try them against the trousers you actually own.

The two high-tops are the straightforward ones. The brown suede pair with tonal leather trims disappears under a straight leg, and the Slim Hightop in black and white suede has the white leather panels that make it look sharper. The sneaker mules are the odd, charming part. The brown Suede Mule Sneakers and the black pair with white side panels and cream rope laces slip on with no heel counter, which makes them good for hot weather and short walks. The white leather lace-up mule and the cognac suede one both sit on a 6 cm kitten heel with an open back. They look good with cropped wide trousers and bare ankles.

Then the snake-effect low-tops: the striped pair with an arched, climbing-style sole and the beige snake-print calf pair on a gum sole.

Fitting-room test: walk down a flight of stairs in the mules. If your heel slides out, they are the wrong size, so try the next one down.

Plenty of people notice the neutrals first. The colored pairs are where the brand has the most fun, and the shape stays the same, which is why the louder ones are easier to wear than they look.

The emerald Satin Sneaker in green and the Ballet Sneaker in turquoise, glossy with cream laces and a thin cream sole, are the two I would build an outfit around. Both want quiet clothes: black, white or gray. The purple suede pair with olive-gray panels is a good move if you already wear a lot of green. The red calf leather Ballet Sneaker has white laces, and the red suede pair with white side panels has the classic square toe. The Gold Metallic Leather Sneakers have tonal stitching and cream laces, and they work as a neutral once you get used to them. The blue climbing ballerina is textile with a graphic pattern, so it is lighter and more casual. The yellow and khaki suede pair even comes with a spare set of red laces.

Pairing tip: let the laces do the work. Swap to a contrast lace and the same pair looks like a different shoe.

What I would skip: more than one loud color in a single outfit. One bright shoe is a choice, two is a theme.

I would begin with the black ballerina leather pair, because it settles the question of whether you will actually wear them. Wear it for two weeks, with trousers, a skirt and jeans. If the slim shape suits you, move to suede or a color.

Check the details before you commit: how the sole feels, how the laces sit, and whether you like the thin profile on a long walk. Everything here is made in Italy, and each pair comes with a dust bag, so treat them like proper shoes.

The 2024 hit was a shoe that did not need a logo. Mine is the one nobody asks about, and then someone across the room notices. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Slim-Sole Sneakers and Do Sneakers Need Breaking In.