New Style Idea

North West was utterly sporty during her youth basketball game on Friday night.

Attending with dad Kanye West at Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, the “Kardashians” star took a moment to sit courtside in a black basketball uniform, featuring matching mesh shorts and a tank top printed with the Academy’s white star-shaped logo. A black T-shirt and socks completed her sporty outfit.

When it came to footwear, the 9-year-old slipped into a pair of athletic sneakers by Yeezy for the occasion. Her chunky Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN Laceless style — a unisex shoe originally released on Oct. 6, which currently retails for up to $265 on websites including Stadium Goods — featured curved uppers in a white “Analog” colorway, complete with angular black paneling and gray “700” graphics. The set also featured a laceless construction, providing added slip-on ease and comfort in addition to its thick white midsoles covered in curved ridges.

Chunky sneakers like West’s have risen in popularity from their emphasis on comfort, thanks to thick soles, lightweight materials and rounded shapes — as well as cushioned and padded insoles. This has been evident in the kid’s market, where brands including Stella McCartney, Steve Madden and Happy99 have adopted the aesthetic in new sneaker designs. Coordinating adult styles — primarily womenswear — have also emerged simultaneously, hailing from Ugg, Fila and Sorel.

The occasion followed West’s viral moment sitting front row at Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fall 2022 couture show, guest-designed by Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing, during Haute Couture Week in Paris with mom Kim Kardashian. West coordinated with her mom in a prep school-inspired outfit with a pinstriped skirt, vest and newsboy cap, complete with a collared shirt and tie. Sunglasses, a chain-draped nose ring and a set of knee-high black leather combat boots gave her ensemble a rebellious edge, tapping into the rise of fashion’s punk and academia aesthetics.

West’s shoe style is often sporty and comfortable. The  former “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star is known for often wearing chunky Yeezy sneakers, including custom designs, as well as fluffy slide sandals by children’s brands including Akid. However, in recent months, she’s also adopted an edgy aesthetic, wearing styles like leather combat boots and Balenciaga’s nameplate platform Crocs clogs. West has also worn her first pair of high heels publicly in May 2022; formerly, she was frequently known to wear Kardashian’s high-end footwear around the house as a toddler— even her $1,700 mirrored Balenciaga boots. Now that she’s evidently begun wearing more styles in public, only time will tell if they’ll become signatures as she grows up.

PHOTOS: Discover West’s shoe style over the years in the gallery.