Isabel Marant sneakers made the hidden wedge a street-style signature, and I still see the Bekett on people who have never heard the name. The hidden wedge trainer was one of the most copied designs of the 2010s, appearing at every level of the market within two years of the original. What made it work was a genuinely clever bit of construction: the height is internal, so the shoe reads as a flat trainer from the outside while adding several centimetres. That was a new idea in a category where height had always been visible, and it solved a real problem for anyone who wanted the proportions of a heel without the commitment. The design has since moved from ubiquitous to dated to interesting again, which is the standard three-stage journey.

The Bekett is the reference wedge and appears in suede, in a ring-detailed high top and in a snake-effect leather trimmed version. Balskee high tops take the wedge idea into a taller shaft and the Bobby suede wedge is the closest to the original silhouette. At the flat end, Beth low tops in leather-trimmed suede and Bryce suede low tops are the pieces that read as ordinary trainers. Most of these isabel marant sneakers lean neutral, with a few brick, blush and zebra pairs for anyone who wants colour.

An internal wedge changes your walk more than an external heel of the same height because the ankle is held at an angle inside a soft upper. Most people adapt within a week and some never do. Suede uppers on a shoe with a thick sole get scuffed at the toe from the sole edge itself, which is annoying and unavoidable. Beth and Bryce are the easy yes. The Bekett is the one I would try on in person, on a hard floor rather than a showroom carpet, before deciding. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Espadrilles Are the Only Wedge Worth Packing and Women's On Cloud Sneakers.