Not suede, not satin, this unexpected sneaker trend is wild, cool, and ready to be worn with jeans, jorts, and midi skirts. Well, what is it? If you’re an avid Who What Wear reader or have an eye for trends, you have a better chance of guessing the 2026 sneaker trend in question. If you said animal print, you’d be correct.

This spring, fashion people from NYC to London are clearing a place on their shoe racks for a pair of animal-print sneakers. Cow print made a name for itself last fall and stayed strong. Dalmatian print appeared earlier this year as an end-of-winter trend; thankfully, the spots plan on sticking around until at least summer. Adidas has paired its own stripes with those of a zebra. (Yes, I’m talking about the Japan sneakers.) Leopard print is featured frequently on low-profile sneakers for a sleek silhouette. I can’t forget about Snakeskin. The geometric sequence of the print is, in my opinion, the most elegant of the animal-print shoe trend.