What does it say about our current era that the shoe which most perfectly typifies it is also widely considered its ugliest? This is the curious case of the New Balance 'snoafer', the hybrid footwear that became the unlikely icon of 2025.
The Rise of an Awkward Hybrid
Officially named the New Balance 1906L, the so-called 'snoafer' first appeared on the global stage at Junya Watanabe's Paris Fashion Week show in 2024. It presented a puzzling silhouette: part penny loafer, part sneaker, yet not fully committing to either category. Lacking the sleekness of a stiletto or the boldness of a maximalist trainer, it offered something different—a self-aware, practical awkwardness.
Social media quickly divided opinion. Some users mocked its dorky aesthetic, while others championed its versatile, comfort-first design. On platforms like TikTok, the shoe featured in countless 'fit check' videos, styled one day with oversized trousers and chunky knits, and the next with cropped skirts and sharp blazers.
Reflecting a Post-Pandemic Identity Crisis
The significance of the 1906L extends far beyond its looks. It emerged as the ideal footwear for an age of fading dress codes, where the legacy of Covid-era athleisure continues to shape our choices. The shoe seems to ask a fundamental question about modern life: who are we, and who do we want to be?
According to Peter Martinez, co-founder of the Leather Skin Shop, the 1906L represents "anti-perfectionist fashion." "It's deliberately awkward, comfortable and refuses traditional categorisation," he explains. "Most importantly, it says you are dressing for your real life, not an idealised version of it."
He argues the shoe is a direct product of our post-pandemic reality, where formality can feel performative. "The 1906L offers a compromise: it is professional enough for most office environments but comfortable enough for someone who's been wearing slippers for two years."
Who's Wearing It and Why
Stylist Julie Matos concurs, noting the shoe's perfect alignment with hybrid lifestyles. "The 1906L hits that post-pandemic sweet spot: structured enough for a meeting, comfortable enough to wear from the subway to a client dinner," she says. "The hybrid lifestyle so many of us are living now demands versatility, and this shoe delivers."
The audience for the snoafer is notably broad. Martinez and Matos identify its core wearers as spanning Millennials and Gen Z, but for distinct reasons. "The ultimate dad shoe has now become a Gen Z favourite, with younger wearers drawn to its rule-breaking aesthetic and comfort-first philosophy," Martinez observes.
Creative professionals, whose work demands adaptability, have also embraced it in large numbers. Ultimately, the 1906L isn't about choosing a side but dismantling the system altogether. In a culture obsessed with labels, it is a product that defiantly resists being boxed in. Its very ambiguity makes it a powerful statement: that today, we no longer have to choose between different versions of ourselves.
