Fila Disruptor Shoes

FILA Disruptor II disrupts normal again

The FILA Disruptor II is a bit of a late bloomer in the sneaker world.

The original Disruptor didn’t so much “drop” in 1996 as it sort of landed. With a thud. But any lack of instantaneous heat can be forgiven, as its debut as a casual/lifestyle shoe was a bit ahead of its time.

That’s not to say it didn’t have fans. It did, just not as high-profile as in more recent releases. The original FILA Disruptor developed a following among subcultures while basketball and performance athletic wear got more marketing push.

Too cool to be “cool”

In short, the Disruptor was cool precisely because it wasn’t “cool.”

But after nearly two decades of living the low-key life, some runway exposure by high-end fashion designers shed some new light on a shoe many had forgotten.

So when in 2018 FILA, the Italian sportswear and footwear giant, introduced its modern update, the Disruptor II, it immediately struck a chord with the truly knowledgeable among the sneaker set.

Fans were quick to recognize the silhouette, which so many years before had occupied that space between the shadows of subculture and the light of marketing stardom.

A colorful life

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of any laid-back casual kick is its versatility.

The FILA Disruptor II carries on the White/White and Black/Black heritage of its predecessor, but FILA also offers colorways to help you blend in or stand out in a bold way.

There are the all-whites and all-blacks, of course, but even those have subtleties where the embroidered FILA wordmark on the upper is either color-matched to the upper, or takes on the traditional red-and-blue FILA branding to add hits of color.

Women who like to take a daring approach to their footwear have some options, too. There’s the Premium Metallic that is sure to turn heads with its shiny all-over gold upper. There’s also the bright Orange/Orange, and a Cherry Blossom that seats a purple/pink upper on top of the white midsole and gum outsole.