18 Sneaker Brands Like Axel Arigato for Minimalist Style
A pair of Clean 90s costs SEK 2,650 on Axel Arigato's own site, which is a lot of money for a white leather low-top with a red heel tab. The shape isn't proprietary. A dozen European workshops cut something close to it, and a few of them charge a third of that.
Axel Arigato is a Swedish sneaker and clothing label, best known for the Clean 90, a plain white leather low-top handmade in Portugal from Italian leather on a custom rubber sole. Its store served us Swedish kronor, and the Clean 90 was SEK 2,650 with the Area Lo Fluffy at SEK 3,450.
We checked 18 sneaker brands on their own storefronts this week and only kept the ones with a real sneaker range behind the homepage. Every price below is quoted in the currency that shop served us, with nothing converted, so you'll see USD, EUR and SEK side by side.
Quick comparison: Closest to the Clean 90 in look and construction: Koio, Oliver Cabell, ETQ Amsterdam, Filling Pieces, Zespa and Eytys. Cheapest way into the aesthetic: Adidas, Tretorn and Allbirds. Best women's fit: M.Gemi and Rothy's. Specialists worth a detour: Vessi for rain, Nisolo for leather that ages, JAK for vegan pairs, P448 for a chunky sole.
| Brand | Signature pair | Price we checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREATS | The Royale 2.0 | $199 USD | Men's white leather low-tops |
| Koio | Monza | $265 USD | Italian suede in muted colours |
| Veja | Campo | $175 USD | A sneaker people recognise |
| Oliver Cabell | Low 1 | $180 to $230 USD | Knowing which factory made it |
| Adidas | Stan Smith | $100 USD | The cheapest clean white pair |
| Vessi | Weekend Slip-On | $140 USD | Wet commutes |
| Rothy's | The RS01 | $160 USD | Knit you can put in the wash |
| JAK | Royal Vegan | EUR 190 | Portuguese leather and vegan pairs |
| Nisolo | Diego Everyday | $178 USD list | Leather that scuffs well |
| M.Gemi | The Rosamaria | $298 USD | Women's Italian sneakers |
| Tretorn | Nylite 67 | SEK 899 | Swedish canvas, if you're in Europe |
| Allbirds | Men's Cruiser | $105 USD | Wool and softness over structure |
| P448 | Vert | EUR 249 | A thick sole under a plain upper |
| Vans | Not readable | Site blocked our check | Canvas at the low end |
| Filling Pieces | Tiebreak | EUR 280 | Amsterdam design with a sharp last |
| ETQ Amsterdam | LT 01 Essence | EUR 189 | Numbered, logo-free minimalism |
| Zespa | ZSP4 APLA | EUR 195 | French nappa leather |
| Eytys | Stereo | SEK 2,000 | Swedish design, same currency as the anchor |
GREATS
GREATS makes the closest thing to a Clean 90 that ships from a US warehouse, and The Royale 2.0 ($199) is the pair to look at. It's a white leather low-top with a gum sole and embossed rather than printed branding, which is the detail that keeps it quiet next to a logo sneaker.
The catalogue is small and honest about what it is. We counted 97 listings, 62 of them men's shoes, with 600 of 901 size variants in stock. The Manhattan ($225) is the dressier calfskin option if you want something that reads closer to a shoe than a trainer.
One thing to know before you click: GREATS is men's only right now, with no women's sizing in the current range.
Best for: a white leather low-top under $200 that doesn't shout.
Koio
Koio sits at Axel Arigato's price point and beats it on material depth, with the Monza ($265) built from Italian suede on a gum sole in a 1970s athletic shape. Parma, Taranto, Carrara and Portofino all sit at the same $265, so choosing is about the leather and the colour, not the budget.
The range runs 111 listings with 690 of 883 size variants available, which is the healthiest stock level of any brand here. At the top, the Capri ($345) outprices the Clean 90 and looks like it should. The Vegan 01 ($165) is the entry point.
Koio has narrowed to menswear, with 85 men's listings against two women's, so check sizing before you fall for a colourway.
Best for: Italian suede in colours that aren't white.
Veja
Veja is the one on this list your friends will name without reading the heel, and the Campo ($175) is the pair doing that work. The V-10 ($180) is the higher-cut sibling. Both cost less than a Clean 90 and carry a V on the side panel that's about as loud as Axel Arigato's red tab.
What you're paying for beyond the shape is the supply chain Veja publishes at length, and its own filters let you shop the range by organic cotton, organic leather or suede. If the eco claims are the reason you're here, our roundup of sneaker brands like Veja goes deeper on who else can back them up.
Best for: a minimalist sneaker with a story you can repeat at a dinner party.
Oliver Cabell
Oliver Cabell publishes the material spec for each shoe on the product page, and the Low 1 ($180 to $230 depending on colour) lists 3oz full-grain leather from Marche, Italy for both the upper and the counters. That's the level of detail Axel Arigato doesn't give you.
The catalogue is 249 listings with 1,368 of 1,939 size variants in stock. The Court ($330) is the premium build, the Vegan 581 ($170) the cheapest way in, and there are orthopedic and wide-fit versions of the Low 1 at $230 and $180, which is unusual at this end of the market.
Best for: shoppers who want the factory named before they buy.
Adidas
Adidas keeps the Stan Smith and the Superstar in its Originals line, and they're the tennis silhouettes the rest of this list keeps refining. The Stan Smith ($100) is the cheapest clean white leather sneaker here. The Superstar II sits at the same $100. Both cost a third of a Clean 90 and neither pretends to be handmade.
What you give up is the sole unit and the leather grade. Axel Arigato moulds a custom rubber sole and makes the Clean 90 in Portugal from Italian leather. Adidas doesn't publish either for the Stan Smith. What you get back is the ability to replace them without thinking about it.
Adidas blocks automated price checks, so we read the Stan Smith and Superstar pages through a text proxy to confirm those figures.
Best for: the first white sneaker in a wardrobe, or the fifth.
Vessi
Vessi solves the one problem a leather sneaker can't, selling knit shoes that are waterproof rather than water-resistant, and the Weekend Slip-On ($140) is the plainest of them. The Tidal Sneaker ($150) is the laced version, and the Stormburst Low Top ($170) is the winter one.
The shape is softer than anything Axel Arigato makes, with no structured toe box and a sock-like collar. We counted 248 listings across 167 shoe styles with 1,215 of 2,123 size variants available. Sizes on the popular colourways go first, so the Soho ($160) in black had five of 18 sizes left when we looked.
Best for: a city where it rains and you still want a plain shoe.
Rothy's
Rothy's knits its shoes from recycled materials and sells them as washable, which no leather sneaker on this list can claim. The RS01 ($160) is the chunky-soled one, the Ivy Sneaker ($145) the low profile, and The Original Slip On Sneaker ($125) the cheapest.
The catalogue is the biggest here at 651 listings, though sneakers are 60 of them and the rest is flats, loafers, clogs and bags. Men get their own line too, with The Men's Court Sneaker at $150.
The trade-off against Axel Arigato is texture. Knit reads casual in a way leather doesn't, so these work with jeans and stop working under tailoring.
Best for: shoes that go in the wash instead of the bin.
JAK
JAK is a Portuguese sneaker brand working in the same country the Clean 90 is made in, and the Royal Vegan (EUR 190) is its plainest low-top. The store sells in euros and 168 of its 207 listings are sneakers, which is a higher concentration than anything else on this list.
Stock sits at 1,162 of 1,808 size variants. Alongside the leather sneakers there's a vegan line at the same price, plus loafers at EUR 180, so the whole range stays inside a EUR 60 band. The old jakshoes.com address now redirects to fromjak.com, which is where to shop.
Best for: Portuguese construction at a European price, vegan pairs included.
Nisolo
Nisolo is a leather shoe brand first and a sneaker brand second, and it's fair to say so before you click. Sneakers are nine of its 172 listings, built around three models: the Diego Everyday Sneaker ($178 list), the men's Beto Go-To Court ($198 list) and the women's Bria Go-To Court ($178 list).
All three were discounted when we checked, with the Diego at $139 and the Go-To Court pairs closer to $99. The rest of the catalogue is sandals, oxfords, boots and belts, so treat this as a shoemaker who also cuts a court sneaker rather than a sneaker specialist.
The leather is the reason to consider it. These scuff into something better looking, which knit and canvas don't do.
Best for: one leather sneaker you'll resole instead of replace.
M.Gemi
M.Gemi is the strongest women's option here, with The Rosamaria ($298) available in twelve colourways across suede, nappa, nylon and smooth leather. The Cerchio Due ($298) is the woven-leather alternative.
Read the sneaker section carefully, because the numbers are lopsided. Of 143 sneaker listings, 25 are in stock at list price and most of the rest sit at $75 as clearance with no sizes left. The live range is narrower than the page count suggests.
Where it beats most of this list is depth in women's sizing. Every in-stock Rosamaria colourway we checked had 13 or 14 sizes available, with nothing sold out, which isn't true of the men's-led brands above it.
Best for: women who want the full size run rather than the leftovers.
Tretorn
Tretorn is the other Swedish name on this list, and its Nylite 67 (SEK 899) is the cheapest canvas tennis shoe in its range. Court '79 sits at SEK 1,299 and Ace '92 at SEK 1,399, so the full sneaker range runs 17 men's styles and 18 women's.
Say the awkward part first. The US store at us.tretorn.com returns an error page and takes no orders, so North American readers can't buy direct. The live shop is se.tretorn.com, it's in Swedish, and it prices in kronor. Everything was 20% off when we looked, which is why you'll see SEK 719 next to the SEK 899 list price.
Best for: European readers who want canvas with Scandinavian provenance.
Allbirds
Allbirds trades structure for softness, and the Men's Cruiser ($105) is the closest it gets to a clean everyday sneaker. The Tree Runner NZ ($100) is the breathable eucalyptus version and the Wool Runner NZ Mid Waterproof ($160) the wet-weather one.
Stock is the thing to check. Across 218 shoe listings we counted 383 of 2,514 size variants available, so the colour you want may not exist in your size. Allbirds is a footwear business now, with the apparel line reduced to socks.
A wool runner reads as a different kind of shoe to a Clean 90. If you're here for comfort rather than the leather aesthetic, our list of shoe brands like Allbirds covers that corner properly.
Best for: wool comfort when a leather sneaker feels like too much shoe.
P448
P448 puts a thick lugged sole under an otherwise plain Italian upper, and the Vert (EUR 249) is the version to start with. John, Thea and most of the current range sit at the same EUR 249, with the Capri Glitter at EUR 269 for anyone who wants the sole to be the loud part.
This is the healthiest shop of the eighteen on availability, with 1,245 of 1,509 size variants in stock across 152 listings. The store prices in euros.
Against Axel Arigato, P448 gives you height and texture where the Clean 90 gives you a flat profile. Pick by whether you want the shoe noticed.
Best for: a chunky sole without a chunky logo.
Vans
Vans earns its place on price and shape, because the Authentic and the mono Old Skool are two of the few canvas silhouettes that read as plain rather than sporty. We can't publish a figure, though. Vans serves a bot challenge to every automated request, so nothing we tried returned a live price page.
That matters less here than it would elsewhere, since Vans is stocked in most cities and the price is on the wall. Treat it as the budget end of the list and check in store or on the site yourself.
If the sustainability question is part of your decision, we go through what Vans publishes in is Vans fast fashion.
Best for: canvas at a price where scuffing them doesn't hurt.
Filling Pieces
Filling Pieces was founded in 2009 in Amsterdam by designer Guillaume Philibert, and it cuts a sharper last than most of this list. The Tiebreak (EUR 280) in waxed grain leather is its current answer to the plain court shoe, and the Mondo (EUR 260) is the sportier one.
The shop runs 210 shoe listings with 1,276 of 2,063 size variants available, alongside a clothing line that's about the same size. Prices are in euros. The Base Loafer (EUR 260) is there if the sneaker phase is ending.
The Tiebreak is the pick if you want the Clean 90's proportions with more nose to the toe. There's a fuller list of brands like Filling Pieces if this is the shape you want.
Best for: a European alternative at the same price bracket as the anchor.
ETQ Amsterdam
ETQ Amsterdam names its shoes with numbers instead of words, and the LT 01 Essence in white (EUR 189) is the one that lands nearest a Clean 90. It's full-grain leather tanned at an LWG Gold certified tannery in Alcanena, Portugal, designed in Amsterdam and hand-lasted in a Portuguese atelier.
ETQ signs the shoe with a square at the heel and describes its own logo as one you have to look for, which is the biggest single difference from Axel Arigato's red quarter tab. The LT 03 in nappa runs EUR 249. Availability is strong at 1,086 of 1,414 size variants across 153 footwear listings, and the store prices in euros.
Best for: readers who want the shape with almost nothing marked on it.
Zespa
Zespa was founded in 2009 in Aix-en-Provence and its entire catalogue is sneakers, 160 listings of them, with the ZSP4 APLA in nappa leather at EUR 195 and the perforated ZSP10 Nubuck at EUR 175. The ZSP23 Max sits at EUR 195 for a taller sole.
The price band is the appeal. Every pair in the range sits under the Clean 90's price and most of it costs a third less, with 1,703 of 2,376 size variants in stock. The brand's old zespa.fr address now redirects to zespa.com.
Best for: soft French leather at well under the anchor's price.
Eytys
Eytys has been designing in Stockholm since 2013 and prices in kronor like Axel Arigato does, so you can read the two side by side without doing sums. The Stereo canvas sneaker is SEK 2,000 against the Clean 90's SEK 2,650, and the leather Eden is SEK 2,500.
Eytys cuts a heavier shape than Axel Arigato. The Balestra (SEK 2,700) and the Trophy (SEK 2,400) both sit on a thicker sole with a squarer toe, closer to what you'd have called a skate shape ten years ago. Sneakers are 28 of the 49 listings, with 391 of 555 size variants in stock.
The design language is louder, so this is the pick if the Clean 90 has started to feel anonymous on you.
Best for: Swedish design with more shape to it.
Where to Start If You Want the Clean 90 Look for Less
Work down from the price you'd have paid Axel Arigato. At roughly the same money, ETQ Amsterdam and Filling Pieces give you a European-made low-top with less branding on it, and Koio gives you better suede. At half the money, Zespa and GREATS get you most of the way there in leather. At a third, the Stan Smith does the same job in the same colour.
Two of these solve problems the anchor doesn't. Vessi keeps your feet dry at $140 and Rothy's goes in the wash from $125, and neither costs half of a Clean 90.
We removed four brands from the previous version of this list because they no longer sell a sneaker range you could cross-shop. Common Projects came out because its site takes no orders and points at stockists instead, and we cover that ground in brands like Common Projects. Everlane and Blundstone came out on category, and Axel Arigato's own other models came out because a list of alternatives shouldn't recommend the brand you're already wearing. The minimalist brand index is the place to go next if you want the rest of the wardrobe to match the shoes.
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Written by
Spencer Lanoue
