And Just Like That, Super Running Shoes Are Fashion
"Run, don't walk" has never been a bigger deal in fashion and sneaker culture than it is right now. Running shoe titans like HOKA and On are ruling the game with their "ugly" dadcore shoes. Plus, every big name in fashion is getting their own super running sneaker, making performance shoes that were once function first, drip second, actually cool.
In the era when you can potentially find your next hot date at your local running club, one might also find a fellow runner laced up in some sneakers by fashion designers like Pharrell and Matthew M. Williams.
While carrying the torch for the 2024 Olympics, Pharrell casually debuted his Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 sneaker made in collaboration with his longtime friends at adidas.
Like his other recent adidas efforts, Pharrell's adidas sneaker was big, to say the least. The white running shoes featured these incredibly beefed-up soles, followed up with thick and colorful Three-Stripes branding.
Pharrell's adidas shoes have yet to hit the market, but they're expected to ring up for $500 (before tax).
Pharrell's adidas team-up is just one of many running shoe collaborations this year, advancing the normalization of such models as fashionable everyday shoes.
In the latest running news, Ronnie Fieg gave a first look at Kith's next adidas sneaker collaboration, which sees the brand issue a clean spin on an Adizero model.
Judging by the preview, Kith looks to maintain the model's performance specifications but gives it a classic Kith refresh with a sleek colorway that's likely to be snatched up by both devoted Kith fans and hip runners.
That's the thing about the latest running shoe collaborations: the chunky sneakers keep their traditional performance features but are now more stylish than ever before, thanks to a fashion name-drop and nice colorway.
New Balance's FuelCell Rebel v4 sneaker got caught up in one of Action Bronson's color explosions, resulting in an electrifying take on the model.
Way before that, Matthew M. Williams dropped his quiet, tread-mill-ready beast, the Nike Zoom TRD Run 6. The pairs joined the designer's growing collection of wildly futuristic Nike shoe collabs, and his following certainly didn't waste time pairing the new thick-based Nikes with their ALYX pieces.
Extra Butter gave Brooks' popular Cascadia 18 a vibrantly spotty spin. At the same time, Post Archive Faction keeps delivering incredibly stylish On sneakers that fly off shelves.
Y-3 and Paperboy Paris also hopped on the super shoe wagon with cocoon-like adidas shoes and polka-dotted New Balance running sneakers, respectively.
Sportswear labels have even begun to beautify their in-line super shoes. Nike and adidas have impressive super shoes in the vault, patiently waiting to share their chunky personalities and imposing constructions with the world. PUMA recently grew its Fast R family, unveiling an insane "floating" Fast RB NITRO Elite (no heels aside, the shoes actually look good).
For crying out loud, Costco couldn't even resist making its own HOKA shoes.
What more can I say? Everyone wants their own super shoe these days.
