The Pick: Common Projects Retro Achilles Sneaker

Since the autumn of 2004, Common Projects have been leading a quiet revolution in the trainer market. With a refined and minimalist aesthetic, their shoes have helped to even the odds for the trainer, a product with a somewhat chequered history. They come as a welcome alternative in a market flooded with over-branded, ostentatious and cheaply-constructed offerings.

Hand-stitched in premium white leather, the Retro Achilles has universal appeal, and will go with just about anything. Looks aside, it’s when you put them on that the quality of the construction really becomes apparent: these trainers are about as comfy as they come. The claret heel tab adds a (small) splash of colour – just enough to offset the otherwise monochrome palette without affecting the clean look. And the secret behind those cryptic numbers that appear on each pair? They’re an identity tag of sorts – short hand for the style number, size and colour of that particular shoe.