Nicole Kidman’s Ballet Sneakers Are Fall’s Travel Shoe

Chunky sneakers are not disappearing. Neither are Sambas, retro runners or the endless stream of terrace shoes competing for space in our rotations.

But Nicole Kidman’s ballet sneakers make a convincing case that the next important sneaker does not need much sneaker at all.

When Kidman travelled through Sydney Airport in January 2026, she paired wide-leg khaki trousers, a black top and a cropped leather jacket with an unusually slim pair of white sneakers. The shoes sat somewhere between a ballet slipper and a traditional trainer: low to the ground, narrow through the upper and almost disappearing beneath the trousers.

It was a small footwear choice that said quite a lot about where sneakers are going.

Ballet sneakers, usually called sneakerinas, have spent the past year moving from fashion oddity to serious category. Prada and Dries Van Noten have explored the silhouette on the runway, while Adidas, Puma, Vivaia and a growing list of mainstream brands have pushed their own interpretations.

And as we move towards autumn, this strange little hybrid suddenly makes even more sense.

Not quite a ballet flat. Not quite a sneaker. Not quite sporty and definitely not formal.

That ambiguity is precisely the point.

What Shoes Was Nicole Kidman Wearing?

Here is where things become slightly more interesting than the average celebrity shopping story.

Kidman was photographed at Sydney Airport on 4 January 2026 wearing a largely Chanel travel outfit with white, ballet-inspired low-profile sneakers. Marie Claire’s report on the look described high-rise, wide-leg khaki trousers with Chanel tags sitting over what it called ballet slipper sneakers, finished with a gum sole rather than a bulky foam unit.

Several shopping publications subsequently suggested shoes that resemble Kidman’s pair, particularly the Vivaia Cristina lace-up sneakerina.

There is, however, an important distinction.

The exact brand of the white sneakers in the January airport photographs has not been conclusively established. Marie Claire’s original coverage specifically noted that the maker remained unknown, while drawing a visual comparison with Axel Arigato’s Daze Runner, whose tread curves up the heel in a similar way.

So the smart takeaway is not “Nicole Kidman wore this exact shoe”.

It is that she wore this type of shoe.

And that silhouette is now much bigger than one celebrity airport outfit. We went through the same exercise with Scarlett Johansson’s New Balance sneakers, and the pattern holds: the ID matters far less than the shape everyone is quietly converging on.

K&B Take: Forget hunting for a supposedly exact celebrity ID. The more interesting story is the shape: extremely low profile, lightweight, soft-looking and deliberately less athletic than the sneakers we have been wearing for years.

What Is a Ballet Sneaker?

A ballet sneaker is a hybrid shoe that combines visual elements of a ballet flat with construction borrowed from sneakers.

You will also see them described as:

• sneakerinas
• ballerina sneakers
• ballet trainers
• sneaker flats
• ballet sneaker hybrids
• Mary Jane sneakers, in strapped versions

There is no single technical formula.

Some look almost like ballet pumps placed on rubber soles. Others retain recognisable sneaker elements such as suede overlays, lacing systems, mesh panels and traction outsoles but dramatically reduce their visual bulk.

Common characteristics include:

The result occupies an unusual middle ground.

A ballet flat is traditionally delicate. A sneaker is traditionally functional.

The sneakerina asks why those two ideas need to remain separate. If you want the wider taxonomy, our guide to sneaker types and categories covers where hybrids like this sit.

Why Sneakerinas Are Getting Bigger in 2026

Calling the sneakerina a TikTok microtrend is becoming increasingly difficult.

Vogue Scandinavia’s survey of the category placed the sneakerina inside a much broader move towards the low-top, pointing to Celine’s clean tennis shoe, Coach’s flat leather styles and Dries Van Noten’s slim silhouettes as part of the same generation of footwear.

Vogue Adria counted sneakerinas among the five styles set to dominate the streets in 2026, noting versions from Miu Miu, Wales Bonner, Dries Van Noten, Simone Rocha, Jacquemus and Prada.

This is now happening at several levels of the footwear market.

Luxury labels are exploring satin, unconventional construction and delicate proportions — a continuation of the story we traced in how luxury sneakers conquered high fashion, except this time the houses are shrinking the shoe rather than inflating it. Sports brands are remixing archival racing and martial-arts models. Fashion retailers are producing accessible interpretations. Even companies not traditionally associated with ballet footwear have been experimenting with ballet-flat hybrids as the wider balletcore trend expands.

That breadth matters.

A footwear trend becomes more interesting when different brands start interpreting the idea rather than simply copying one hit shoe.

And sneakerinas are already doing that.

We are seeing at least four branches of the trend

1. The literal ballet sneaker

Satin, ribbons, square toes and slipper-like construction. Think Vivaia Cristina or JW Pei Flavia.

2. The sports hybrid

A recognisable performance or motorsport-inspired shoe softened into a ballerina shape. Puma’s Speedcat Ballet is the obvious reference — and worth remembering that the original Speedcat was a fireproof shoe built for Formula 1 pit crews before fashion got hold of it.

3. The martial-arts sneaker

Ultra-low shoes inspired by taekwondo or training footwear. Adidas has been particularly important here.

4. The minimalist slim sneaker

Less obviously ballet-inspired, but built around the same narrow, close-to-the-foot proportions. The Marc Jacobs 72 Spring sits squarely in this lane, and the Miu Miu bubble sneaker shows how far fashion houses will push the idea in the other direction.

This last category is arguably the most important.

Because even shoppers who never buy something called a “sneakerina” may still end up wearing the silhouette.

Why Ballet Sneakers Make So Much Sense for Travel

Celebrity airport dressing produces plenty of impractical ideas.

This is not necessarily one of them.

The attraction of ballet sneakers for travel is relatively straightforward: they offer a polished silhouette without taking up the same physical or visual space as a substantial trainer. Marie Claire has since folded the look into a wider airport sneaker trend among frequent-flying VIPs, where the white, low-profile shoe has quietly become standard issue in the security queue.

1. They take up less suitcase space

A bulky running shoe can consume a remarkable percentage of a cabin bag.

A compressible low-profile sneaker is considerably easier to pack. Vivaia markets its sneakerina on exactly this basis, with a foldable construction and a triple-layer sole.

Some models are flexible enough to flatten considerably, although exactly how packable a shoe is depends on its construction.

2. They work with more than airport clothes

This is the strongest argument.

A technical running shoe might be fantastic in Terminal 3 but awkward with a satin skirt at dinner.

A ballet sneaker can potentially handle both. Our guide to pairing sneakers with formal and semi-formal attire makes the same case for slim silhouettes generally.

That versatility means one pair can cover several outfits during a short trip.

3. They sit neatly under wide trousers

Kidman’s outfit demonstrates this particularly well.

Her high-rise, wide-leg khaki trousers fell over the sneakers rather than stopping above a large sole unit. The shoe completed the outfit without demanding to become its centrepiece.

4. They offer more coverage than sandals

For the transition from summer into autumn, closed-toe footwear becomes increasingly useful.

A sneakerina gives you the lightness associated with warmer-weather shoes without pushing immediately into boots.

5. They can make casual clothes look more intentional

Joggers plus giant running shoes reads unmistakably athletic.

Joggers or relaxed trousers plus a slim ballet sneaker can feel much more fashion-led.

That difference is subtle, but fashion is usually built on subtle differences.

The Real Appeal: Sneakers Are Shrinking

The ballet sneaker is part of a bigger shift.

For years, sneaker culture moved towards more.

More sole. More cushioning. More overlays. More technology. More visible construction. More shoe.

The pendulum is now swinging in the opposite direction.

Retro football shoes, motorsport silhouettes, martial-arts sneakers, ballet hybrids and stripped-back runners all share one characteristic: they sit closer to the foot. Our fall 2026 sneaker trends report called the same thing from a different angle: basketball shapes returning, dad shoes finished.

The sneakerina may simply be the most exaggerated expression of that movement.

That helps explain why the trend can look strange at first.

Our eyes have spent years being trained to expect a sneaker to have volume.

Remove that volume and suddenly the proportions feel unfamiliar.

Give it a few months and the exact same silhouette can begin looking completely normal.

Sneaker history is full of that cycle. The ASICS GEL-1130 went from forgotten 2008 tech runner to best-selling sneaker of 2025 on precisely this logic.

Nicole Kidman’s Outfit Shows Exactly How to Wear Them

Kidman did not style her white sneakers like ballet shoes.

That is important.

She wore them with:

• wide-leg khaki trousers
• a fitted black top
• a cropped black leather jacket
• a black Chanel 25 bag
• sunglasses

The outfit was luxurious, relaxed and relatively minimal, with the sneakers acting as the casual counterweight.

There were no bows, tutu references or exaggerated balletcore accessories.

That restraint is what made the shoes work. It is the same principle behind Dua Lipa’s Gel-Kayano 20 styling — let one element be loud, and only one.

The styling formula

Polished trousers + compact top + structured outerwear + tiny sneaker.

That equation is worth stealing.

The sneaker provides contrast rather than completing a costume.

How to Wear Ballet Sneakers This Fall

You do not need Kidman’s Chanel wardrobe to make the silhouette work.

In fact, sneakerinas become more interesting when they are pulled away from overt balletcore.

With wide-leg trousers

Probably the easiest entry point.

Choose trousers long enough to almost meet the ground and allow only the toe and sidewall of the sneaker to appear.

The reduced shoe volume creates a cleaner trouser line.

Best colours: white, cream, brown, black, muted silver.

With straight-leg denim

This is where the sneaker becomes more casual.

Try: straight jeans + white T-shirt + oversized cardigan + ballet sneakers.

Keep the denim hem close enough to the ankle that the shoe is visible.

Too much fabric pooling over such a slim sneaker can make the proportions feel heavy.

With baggy jeans

This combination is deliberately contradictory.

Huge trouser. Tiny shoe.

That tension can look excellent.

For the easiest version, choose darker or neutral sneakerinas rather than sugary satin pink.

With a midi skirt

A satin or pleated midi skirt lets you lean further into the ballet influence without becoming too literal.

Add crew socks, a sweatshirt, a bomber jacket or an oversized knit.

Vogue Scandinavia has similarly shown the sneakerina styled with everything from skirts and dresses to trousers, hoodies and denim, which helps explain why the category is escaping its balletcore origins.

With tailored shorts

For warm early-autumn days: tailored shorts + oversized shirt + sneakerinas.

It feels less obvious than loafers and considerably sharper than running shoes.

With airport trousers

The Kidman formula remains difficult to beat.

Go for pull-on wide trousers, a soft knit or fitted T-shirt, a bomber or lightweight jacket, a compact ballet sneaker and a substantial tote.

Comfort without looking like you dressed specifically for security screening.

Five Ballet Sneakers Worth Knowing

These are not necessarily substitutes for Kidman’s unidentified pair. They represent different interpretations of the wider sneakerina movement.

*Prices are indicative US figures observed in current editorial and retailer coverage and can change without notice.

Vivaia Cristina

If you want the strongest visual connection to the Kidman look, the Vivaia Cristina is an obvious place to start.

Its square-ish toe, satin-like upper and exceptionally low silhouette make it look much closer to a ballet slipper than a conventional sneaker. Vivaia reported selling more than 15,000 pairs in the shoe’s first two months, helped considerably by Bella Hadid wearing a black pair during Paris Fashion Week.

Importantly, publications describing it in relation to Kidman have generally presented it as a similar style, rather than definitively identifying it as the shoe she wore.

Puma Speedcat Ballet

This is the option for someone who thinks “ballet sneaker” sounds too precious.

Puma takes the already-low Speedcat idea and pushes it towards Mary Jane territory.

The motorsport DNA prevents it from becoming overly delicate.

Adidas Taekwondo Mei

Adidas has found fertile ground in extremely low-profile archival and martial-arts-inspired footwear.

The Taekwondo Mei sits neatly inside the sneakerina conversation without looking like a literal ballet slipper, making it an easier transition for someone coming from Sambas or Tokyos.

JW Pei Flavia

This one commits.

Satin. Square toe. Ballet proportions. A deliberately split-looking outsole.

If the Puma is the sneakerhead route into sneakerinas, the Flavia is the fashion route.

Skechers Breathe Easy A-Look

Not every ballet sneaker needs to win on runway credibility.

The Skechers interpretation concentrates more heavily on lightweight construction and cushioning while retaining the narrow shape that defines the trend. It is the pair to consider if the satin versions look like too much commitment.

Ballet Sneakers vs Ballet Flats vs Slim Sneakers

The boundaries are increasingly fuzzy.

That may ultimately be the sneakerina’s greatest achievement.

It is making the question “Is this technically a sneaker?” less important.

Are Ballet Sneakers Actually Comfortable?

This depends entirely on the pair.

The word “sneaker” does not automatically guarantee the cushioning, stability or support of a purpose-built walking or running shoe.

Some sneakerinas include cushioned footbeds, rubber outsoles, padded heels, flexible uppers, memory-foam-style insoles and arch-support features.

Others prioritise appearance.

Current examples range from soft fashion constructions to models specifically marketed around cushioned insoles and flexible soles.

Before buying a pair for travel, check:

• Heel security: does your heel remain in place while walking?
• Toe room: a narrow visual silhouette should not mean crushed toes.
• Outsole grip: airport floors, wet pavements and train platforms require more than a slippery fashion sole.
• Cushioning: press the footbed. Is there meaningful material between your foot and the ground?
• Flexibility: the shoe should flex where your foot naturally bends, not collapse everywhere.
• Your itinerary: a shoe suitable for boarding a flight and walking to dinner is not automatically the right choice for 20 kilometres of sightseeing.

That last point matters most.

Fashion travel shoe and serious walking shoe are not necessarily the same job. If comfort is the priority over silhouette, our Steve Madden wedge sneakers buyer’s guide covers the trade-offs in a related category.

Satin and mesh uppers also need more care than leather. Keep an eye on our sneaker care section before you take a pale pair through a monsoon.

Who Should Buy Ballet Sneakers?

Ballet sneakers make particular sense if you:

• already wear Sambas, Speedcats or other low-profile sneakers
• want something more polished than a running shoe
• travel with a small wardrobe
• wear wide-leg trousers frequently
• like ballet flats but want a sneaker-style outsole
• prefer lightweight shoes
• want an alternative to loafers for transitional weather
• enjoy unusual sneaker silhouettes without going fully avant-garde

Who Should Skip Them?

You may want to sit this trend out if you:

• strongly prefer substantial cushioning
• need dedicated stability or specialist footwear
• primarily wear sneakers for sport
• dislike very low-profile shoes
• want one pair for serious hiking and sightseeing
• are only buying them because they are trending

The sneaker world contains enough shoes.

Nobody needs another pair they do not actually want.

Pros and Cons of Ballet Sneakers

Pros

• Extremely versatile styling
• Easy transition between casual and dressier outfits
• Compact silhouette
• Often lighter than conventional trainers
• Strong option for transitional seasons
• Works especially well with wide trousers
• Available from fashion and sportswear brands
• Feels genuinely different from another retro court sneaker

Cons

• Comfort varies dramatically between models
• Some designs lean too heavily into novelty
• Thin soles will not suit everyone
• Satin and delicate fabrics can be difficult for travel
• Trendier versions may date more quickly
• Not a replacement for genuine performance footwear

Why This Trend Could Survive Beyond 2026

The shoes that disappear fastest tend to depend on one very specific design gimmick.

Sneakerinas are broader than that.

The real trend is not satin ribbons.

It is reduced sneaker volume.

That idea can evolve. A sneakerina can become more technical. More masculine. More minimal. More luxurious. More athletic. More unisex.

Remove the word “ballet” entirely and you are still left with the larger movement towards footwear that sits lower, closer and lighter on the foot.

That gives designers somewhere to go next.

It also means consumers do not need to buy the most literal version to participate.

Perhaps you never wear the Puma Speedcat Ballet.

But you may wear something descended from the same proportions two seasons from now.

That is how trends become design movements.

Expert Insight: The Interesting Part Is the Proportion

Celebrity coverage naturally focuses on the person wearing the shoe.

Sneakerheads should look lower.

What Kidman’s airport outfit demonstrates particularly well is how changing the volume of a sneaker changes the entire silhouette above it.

Large footwear visually anchors an outfit.

Small footwear elongates it.

A wide trouser over a thick running shoe creates one proportion.

The same trouser over an almost-flat sneaker creates another.

Neither is objectively better.

But after years of oversized sneaker architecture, the second suddenly feels fresh.

That is why the sneakerina matters even if you never intend to own one.

It signals a new proportion.

Nicole Kidman Did Not Just Wear a Travel Shoe

Nicole Kidman’s ballet sneakers matter because the shoes barely seem to matter at all.

They are small. Quiet. Low. Almost anonymous.

And that feels surprisingly radical after years of sneakers designed to dominate everything around them.

Her Sydney Airport look did not prove that everyone needs a pair of satin sneakerinas. It showed why the ballet sneaker silhouette has become so relevant in 2026: it gives people sneaker practicality without forcing every outfit to look sporty.

For fall travel, that combination is difficult to ignore.

Wear them through the airport. Wear them under wide trousers. Wear them with denim after landing. Wear them with a skirt that evening.

One small pair of shoes suddenly covers a considerable amount of wardrobe territory.

The sneakerina may have started as one of fashion’s stranger experiments.

It is beginning to look much more like the logical next chapter of the low-profile sneaker. For everything else landing this season, our guide to the sneakers everyone will be wearing this fall has the full rotation.