THE RELENTLESS INNOVATION OF HOKA

It was immersed in this stunning landscape that a question appeared to Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, the founders of HOKA, upon the top of a mountain: what would a shoe look like if it made downhill running feel effortless and as if you were flying? That very question formed the foundations the intensive research and development of HOKA, with the label relentlessly pursuing the creation of hyper-technical, cushioning footwear from that day onwards.

In recent years, technical outerwear has skyrocketed to ubiquity, permeating the collective consciousness and filling runways, fashion weeks and Instagram feeds with utilitarian apparel. It’s something which has bubbled over heavily into footwear, with the sneaker world no longer dominated just by sportswear brands with decades of heritage, but also newer contenders throwing their hats in the ring — brands that were once regarded as niche and for the enthusiasts.

One of these labels is HOKA, a name which is now established in wider fashion circles through its distinctive, trailblazing performance footwear. Despite this growth in the brand’s fan base, broadening from its performance roots to more casual, lifestyle-focused settings, the mantra established in those mountain — perpetually chasing the innovative and cutting-edge — remains unwavering.

The origin story of HOKA dates back to 2009 in the French Alps, where two innovators, Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard had stumbled upon an idea while carrying out one of their favourite past times: trail running. The rugged mountain trails provided the two runners with an idea and a solution: to make downhill running feel effortless.

Initially, they created footwear to make running easier for themselves, but it wouldn’t take long before the HOKA name became the talking point amongst Mermoud and Diard’s closer group, gathering momentum and steadily becoming the globally-renowned name it is today. This aim of being able to conquer downhill running with pace and ease led to the creation of one of the brand's now-defining features: the exaggerated, stabilising sole units.

“When we began dreaming of HOKA, we wanted to create something that made people feel like movement was effortless,” said Founder Jean-Luc Diard. “We also wanted to reimagine footwear cushioning, to help runners avoid injury so they could spend more time chasing that effortless movement.”

HOKA has evolved from a place of obscurity to steadily becoming one of the leaders in performance running, something made possible through the label existing in a perpetual state of refinement. From the get-go, the label’s co-founders would utilise their mountainous surroundings as a testing ground. Prototypes would be constantly modified and tweaked on the go — quite literally, as they would shape, glue and update their shoes' soles while out tackling unforgiving terrain, continuously gathering data with a clear aim: to make running better.

Momentum is something that has long acted as the springboard for HOKA and its technical approach, utilising lightweight materials, wider, cushioned sole units and a rocker in the midsole to make running smooth and continuous, unrestricted by regular stopping and starting. There are three key elements which feed directly into achieving momentum for HOKA: Meta-Rockers technology, which essentially prevents you from landing flat, propelling you forward using your natural gait — think of it in a similar manner to wheels for the feet; cushioned midsoles, which work in tandem with Meta-Rocker to land each foot in a soft, supportive manner before springing back up, and Active Foot Frame, which essentially cradles your foot and secures your heel in place, so your foot becomes part of the shoe, rather than resting on top.

Beyond this, HOKA utilises a plethora of other technologies throughout its footwear, like J-Frame™ to combat over-pronation, Hubble Heel for comfort and to limit impact and PROFLY™ that provides a uniquely soft and snappy ride. HOKA is renowned for many different styles that cater to different performance needs and terrains, like the trail-focused Mafate, the light, ultra-durable Clifton or the super-cushioned Bondi, with each one embodying the label's technical-driven mantra.

Integral to the rise in popularity of HOKA has been its community-driven approach, with the label spotlighting and celebrating a diverse number of individuals in the athletic world. HOKA has a continued commitment to include 60% Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ and People of Colour in its campaigns, as well as a diverse number of body types and abilities. In addition to this, HOKA is also partners with Achilles International: an organisation that transforms the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programmes and social connection.

HOKA also runs initiatives which shine a spotlight and tell the stories of their community, like “Humans of Hoka”: a series of short documentaries giving a voice to inspirational stories from the HOKA community. There's also the new global brand campaign, Fly Human Fly, which features all types of athletes, runners and walkers to showcase the joy of movement, which include HOKA athletes Jan Frodeno and Adelle Tracey.

In recent years, running clubs have steadily become more prominent, with groups of like-minded people from cities across the globe coming together to train, socialise and explore urban spaces. HOKA is a brand that has played a vital role in supporting and enabling these running clubs and individuals, ranging from affiliated collectives like POWERUP, Queer Running Club and Dedication Atittude to running enthusiasts like Sujin Lee.

Technical footwear is something which has seen a meteoric rise in the past two years, largely coinciding with global lockdown periods and a greater desire to be outside and move more. At the forefront of this wave is HOKA, with the label spearheading the vanguard of performance-driven footwear. In turn, technical footwear has bubbled over from its sole objective, to provide comfort, support and enhance the performance of wearers, to wider ubiquity in fashion. Crucial to this expansion into newer territories for HOKA has been a tactical approach to collaborations, partnering with a slew of both underground and household names to further expand its reach.

Take the recent partnership with Jean-Luc A. Lavelle, for instance, where HOKA joined forces with the UK-based creative — renowned for his progressive and DIY approach to garments — to transform the Tor Ultra in both high and low form. Or the label's partnership with outerwear giant Moncler, which represented a seamless fusion of their boundary-pushing approach to design and innovation on the Mafate Speed 2. Then there’s the ongoing collaborative efforts with Engineered Garments, where a collection of classic HOKA styles are transformed through the meticulous, detail-heavy lens of Daiki Suzuki. HOKA and thisisneverthat®’s Speedgoat 4, meanwhile, sat at the intersection of mountain tech and streetwear, representing an elevated take on the trail-focused shoe. Ultimately, what all these partnerships showcase is a label tapped into the technical world on both a global and a granular level, partnering with both stalwarts of the industry as well as up-and-coming figures.