the buzz log

Time was when a pair of Air Jordans put you at the head of the class. And those treads are a perennial fave in Search, ranking near the top of all sports footwear. But the shoe has moved to the other, more fashion-centric foot: The humble sneaker has gotten an extreme style makeover. But it will cost you.

First, Michelle Obama showed up outfitted in super high-end kicks from fashion designer Lanvin. The grey leather shoes with metallic pink toe caps and ribbon laces will set you back $540 to look dressed down yet done up. The steep price didn't slow the searches. The snazzy shoes caused a lookup frenzy for "michelle obama sneakers" and "lanvin sneakers."

The First Lady has stepped into a new trend. Soccer stud David Beckham is designing a line of menswear for Adidas, including fancy footwear in leather and cashmere, called Originals for Originals. Nike is still a player for the hot sneaker market with Kanye West's Nike Air design, the "Yeezy." The perforated leather sneaks, which go for about $300, caused lines at Footlocker the night before the launch of the latest color, and have gone for thousands on eBay.

Queries on "jordan sneakers," "gucci sneakers," and "kanye west sneakers" are racing ahead. Try to keep up.