Walk down the streets of New York and you'll see HOKA on the feet of stylish people.
Once made for running on the pavement, these running shoes are now made for the pavement, with their chunky soles, dynamic mesh, and bright colors. Street style stapletrendy meeting room accessories and everything in between.
The evidence is factual. Deckers Brands, which owns the running shoe brand, said HOKA sales rose nearly 35% to $570.9 million, the company reported last month.
Celebrities are also partly responsible for the HOKA boom. harry styles and blake lively While wearing big things; adam sandler showed off A pair of electric blue HOKA On last year's red carpet. Even President Joe Biden has been spotted wearing black HOKA Transports alongside his suit and sensible sneakers.
“You can find it worn by celebrities and athletes alike, and that's always a boon for any fashion outfit.” wardrobe whisperer Stylist Jessica Cadmus told the Post, adding that nearly a third of her clients wear HOKA as their everyday shoe.
“No matter what you say, the Hokas are very comfortable,” she said of the sneakers. At first it was incorporated into weekend wear, but gradually it began to make its way into weekday fits as well. She said most of her New York customers initially bought it for exercise, but moved on to an everyday necessity because their daily routine required block-long walks.
“The oversized sole is a trademark of HOKA, and while you're initially nervous about how it looks, you start to like it more and more, especially since it actually gives you forward momentum when you walk,” she says. I did. “It's a unique experience and you'll want to wear it again and again.”
Coupled with the overwhelming increase in comfortable clothing post-pandemic, this is a “perfect storm” for the brand's success, Cadmus added.
“When you look at them, there's also a sense of thoughtful design, and I think that gives them a broader appeal,” she said.
While comfort is a big plus, HOKA's explosive popularity is also due to its endless colorways. Content creator, model and avid runner Lenny Noe He boasts a colorful shoe wardrobe full of HOKAs and estimates he owns about 35 pairs of shoes in various shades.
“I wear them every day, so even if I'm going to run errands, those are the shoes I wear,” the California-based Noe, 23, told the Post, adding that she wore HOKA hiking boots to Coachella one year. He added that he had also worn them.
“Nobody knows how to do it like HOKA,” she added.
In fact, HOKA collaborates with trendy retailers beloved by Gen Z. reform and free people — is the “most requested brand” by customers elite feetsaid Joy Hunt, a Delaware footwear retailer who co-owns the store with her husband, Jason.
“What has contributed to its rise in popularity is the recognition that it's not just runners and walkers who need support,” Joy told the Post. “Everyone can benefit from cushioning and support, especially as we get older and spend more time standing.”
That's exactly what Colin Ingram, the brand's vice president of global product, realized after wearing the shoes.
“I remember hitting my foot on the sidewalk and I couldn't feel anything,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “I see, I thought there was some meaning behind these shoes. They're not just fancy-looking shoes. They actually have some benefits.''
Experts say the shoe brand's ability to achieve both form and function is the reason for its strong foundation. When the California-based brand was acquired more than a decade ago, it had annual sales of about $3 million. By the end of 2022, That number was $1.4 billion..
But being accepted by the fashion world, many of whom wouldn't have dared flaunt a pair of running shoes a decade ago, is the most shocking thing.
“When we first started almost nine years ago, people were coming together and wanting fashion, fashion, fashion at all costs,” Elite Feet co-owner Jason Hunt told the Post. , explained that shoe brands like HOKA are now more prominent than ever. – Ugly ugly shoes make you “more stylish” and “more sexy” without sacrificing comfort and customer appeal.
“Now we understand that people can come to us and get the functionality first, then decide on the style.”
Lexi FurmentThe 24-year-old estimates she's spent about $3,000 over the past three years growing her brightly colored HOKA collection, and her closet is filled with at least 12 pairs.
“Honestly, I wear them every day,” the South Carolina-based avid runner and content creator told the Post.
“Instead of just wearing an old T-shirt and shorts, we all tried to match our outfits and look cute while running,” she said, adding that the shoes can be worn with just about any outfit. He praised it as “stylish”.
She also works at a local running shop, Palmetto Running Company. There, shoes are “easy to sell” because she loves them so much. Needless to say, HOKA is “probably one of our best-selling shoes,” she said.
And HOKA is performing as well as any other shoe brand. Competitors are looking to trendsetters when designing their shoes, which are larger, bulkier and lighter, Jason said.
In a sense, he added, they are trying to “break away from the heat.”
“If you're an industry leader, people will do the same as you. No one follows bad trends,” he said. “Everyone, every brand, makes their shoes look like HOKA.”
