From Cornish pasty shops to the deep fried Mars bars of Glasgow, U.K. cuisine, in all its regional forms, is one of the country’s most distinctive features. While the population may be divided by whether cream or jam goes first on their scones, or whether their bread roll is called a bap, barm or roll – there’s a unifying force that every Brit can get behind: footwear.What the world knows as sneakers, Brits call “trainers” – and the variety of what is worn, respected and adopted by different locations and regions is what makes the U.K.’s sneaker community one of the most diverse on the planet.Before grime made its mark on airwaves in the U.K., football played a huge role in influencing sneaker selection. Football firms spread style movements across the nation, and movies such as Green Street inspired a generation of sports footwear, with adidas Spezials becoming terracewear staples alongside ‘pumps’ from the likes of PUMA and Diadora.Soon, the nation’s rock music and britpop culture in the ‘80s began to co-opt styles seen on the terraces, with the adidas Samba and Gazelle surging in popularity. ‘90s rave culture also saw running shoes sprint into popularity, with Reebok and Nike often seen shuffling on feet across the country.Footwear selection comes down to where you’re raised and the devotion you show for your beloved city. Whether that’s walking down the red-bricked roads of Salford in your Three Stripes, or making your way through Buchanan Street in Glasgow in New Balance, sneaker selection in cities across Britain plays a key part in defining regional identity.With this in mind, Hypebeast has taken a deep-dive into some of the U.K.’s major cities and explored the sneakers that are synonymous with their history and culture. Get to know five major U.K. cities and their go-to kicks, below.Manchester –
