Black trainers are one of those wardrobe decisions where the price tag has almost nothing to do with how good they look. We have seen two hundred pound pairs that look like they came free with a gym membership, and sixty pound pairs that read as considered and clean from across a room. The difference comes down to silhouette, sole profile, and how the upper is finished. Clunky proportions and cheap stitching will give the game away every time regardless of the brand on the tongue. What we were looking for here are the trainers that have the restraint and the construction quality to sit comfortably next to a significantly more expensive outfit without asking any questions of themselves. Low profile. Clean lines. Nothing shouting for attention. Black works precisely because it absorbs rather than announces, which means the shape has to do the heavy lifting. These are the ones that do it well without taking a significant amount of money with them.