2017 was described by Vogue as ‘the year of the Speed’ as it crowned Balenciaga’s sock-style sneaker the defining shoe of the season. Having been embraced wholeheartedly by fashion’s elite, it’s coveted for its supreme comfort as much as for its ultra-sleek aesthetic. The era-defining silhouette brought knitted sneakers to the luxury mainstream as other brands follow suit in an attempt to capture the effect.