How Running Shoes Took Over Our Closets
Once upon a time, running shoes were for… running. Fast forward to 2025, and they’re running the streets, the coffee shops, the office—pretty much everywhere. Trail-born, track-tested sneakers have traded split times for style points, and brands like Salomon, ASICS, and HOKA are leading the pack. New Balance and Nike? They’ve dipped back into the vault and pulled out retro runners so good you don’t even need to jog to justify them. From Trail Runs to Night Runs Post-pandemic, comfort took the crown. Enter “gorpcore”—gear that works as well on a mountain as it does on the street. Salomon’s XT-6 went from ultra-marathons to ultra-outfits, complete with its quick-pull laces and rugged outsole. Asics brought back the Gel-Kayano 14 and other early-2000s gems—perfect for your Y2K-meets-now fits. HOKA turned max cushioning into max cool with the Clifton and Bondi. And New Balance’s 2002R and 1906R prove dad shoes still run the game. Nike sealed the deal with the Zoom Vomero 5 and Air Pegasus, making archival runners the new must-haves. Lightweight? Check. Breathable? Double check. Sneaker tech designed for performance just happens to be perfect for all-day city life. Think Salomon’s Quicklace System, Asics’ GEL cushioning, HOKA’s marshmallow midsoles, and New Balance’s ABZORB tech—aka comfort that looks as good as it feels. Where It’s Headed Collabs are keeping the momentum sky-high—Salomon x Sandy Liang, Asics’ limited drops, HOKA in high-fashion shops, New Balance with Joe Freshgoods, and Nike reissuing classics like they never left. Bottom line? Whether you’re on a trail, on the move, or just on your couch, running-inspired sneakers are built for it all. And the trend isn’t slowing down—it’s picking up speed.
Once upon a time, running shoes were for… running. Fast forward to 2025, and they’re running the streets, the coffee shops, the office—pretty much everywhere.
Trail-born, track-tested sneakers have traded split times for style points, and brands like Salomon, ASICS, and HOKA are leading the pack. New Balance and Nike? They’ve dipped back into the vault and pulled out retro runners so good you don’t even need to jog to justify them.
From Trail Runs to Night Runs
Post-pandemic, comfort took the crown. Enter “gorpcore”—gear that works as well on a mountain as it does on the street.
Salomon’s XT-6 went from ultra-marathons to ultra-outfits, complete with its quick-pull laces and rugged outsole. Asics brought back the Gel-Kayano 14 and other early-2000s gems—perfect for your Y2K-meets-now fits. HOKA turned max cushioning into max cool with the Clifton and Bondi. And New Balance’s 2002R and 1906R prove dad shoes still run the game. Nike sealed the deal with the Zoom Vomero 5 and Air Pegasus, making archival runners the new must-haves.
Lightweight? Check. Breathable? Double check. Sneaker tech designed for performance just happens to be perfect for all-day city life. Think Salomon’s Quicklace System, Asics’ GEL cushioning, HOKA’s marshmallow midsoles, and New Balance’s ABZORB tech—aka comfort that looks as good as it feels.
Where It’s Headed
Collabs are keeping the momentum sky-high—Salomon x Sandy Liang, Asics’ limited drops, HOKA in high-fashion shops, New Balance with Joe Freshgoods, and Nike reissuing classics like they never left.
Bottom line? Whether you’re on a trail, on the move, or just on your couch, running-inspired sneakers are built for it all. And the trend isn’t slowing down—it’s picking up speed.
