How Martin Rose’s track jackets and heeled trainers became celebrity essentials

A certain heeled trainer has risen to become one of the most popular shoes in the House of Vogue. From Maison Margiela Tabis, The Row’s Mary-Janes – and the occasional Ugg boot – spotted in office corridors on any given day, Martin Rose Shox MR4 mules are a familiar sight that’s easily recognizable thanks to their unusual shape.

“Martin Rose’s Nike Shox mules are the perfect curveball,” says junior fashion editor Alex Kessler, who regularly wears low-cut Shox around the office. “Martin has a knack for combining streetwear with luxe styles, and vice versa, which is why I’ve always been drawn to her designs.”

In fact, Rose’s ability to transform sporty pieces into highly desirable fashion statements has attracted celebrities and fashion designers – far and wide. Rihanna, for one, has several Martin Rose pieces to her name, including an electric-blue color-block jacket and a full tracksuit. She also wore pink grungy denim and an oversized soccer jersey – accessorizing the latter in as gouty a way as possible, with crystal Saint Laurent earrings and Amina Mouadi heels. Haile Biber, on the other hand, wore a beige, red and black track jacket with a Y/Project miniskirt for a recent outing in LA.

The designer has always been a firm favorite on the London scene – where she grew up and honed her craft – and while she’s now a global name, she still goes back to her roots in the capital. Dance music, sports, and the subcultures of the 80s and 90s are recurring themes in her work. Now, we wait for her latest Fall/Winter 2023 collection to drop, featuring the new unmissable Nike collab (Shox 2.0 in bright blue and purple).