Sneakers news and archive

The unexpected challenge sneaker design students face today: "They need to know so much"

When Wilson Smith III, former Design Director at Nike Footwear, left the sportswear giant in January 2025 after an impressive 41-year tenure, he was struck with an immediate and unexpected realization: "How do I present myself or connect myself to the world now?" During his four-decade career at Nike, the company's PR and communications team had...

Featured

Fashion |Interview

Wilson Smith & Tate Kuerbis, and the rise of sneakers as cultural currency

Close your eyes and try to picture this scene. It’s 1986, at Nike head office in Washington County, Oregon and architect Wilson Smith III, who has been working with Nike as a showroom, store and corporate office designer has just been asked if he can come to the back room for a talk. “I went in expecting the worst,” he recalls to FashionUnited...

Fashion

Under Armour partners with Unless to launch plastic-free, regenerative sneakers

Sportswear giant Under Armour has partnered with Unless once more to launch three new zero-plastic, regenerative sneaker styles. Launched during New York City Climate Week, the collaboration builds on the partnership between Under Armour and Unless, which saw the two brands launch a plant-based, regenerative collection of sportswear redesigned...

Fashion

Adidas launches limited edition superstar sneaker with Hibbett

Athletic apparel retailer Hibbett has partnered with sportswear giant Adidas to create a special, limited edition of Adidas’ iconic sneaker, superstar. The “State Fair” superstar is said to be inspired by “the flavors, vibe, and spirit” of the State Fair of Texas. The result of a collaboration between employees of the two brands, they sought to...

Fashion

London Sneaker School launches a footwear design platform

London Sneaker School, which has taught more than 200 people the art of shoemaking, is launching a new footwear platform designed to enable creators and communities to bring their ideas to life. The ‘Kickback’ platform aims to empower anyone to design a shoe, launch it and sell it, as the educational institution looks to continue its commitment...

Fashion |In Pictures

Allbirds launches the world’s first polycotton recycled sneaker

US footwear brand Allbirds has unveiled a new collection that “remixes trash into treasure” with the first-ever footwear made from textile-to-textile recycled materials from polycotton waste. The sneakers have been developed in partnership with Blumaka, a leader in converting recycled foam into world-class footwear products, and Circ, an...

Fashion |In Pictures

Zendaya unveils first co-created footwear with On

Actress Zendaya has debuted her first-ever co-designed shoe with Swiss premium sportswear brand On, with which she has been a brand partner since June 2024. Zendaya enlisted her longtime stylist, Law Roach, in the design project with On to reimagine the running brand’s Cloudzone silhouette with a “bold update”. Her sneaker, named the ‘Cloudzone...

Fashion

Hoka and MAAP collaborate on hybrid running and cycling shoe

Hoka has joined forces with Australian cycling brand Maap to create a shoe that blends running, cycling and lifestyle. The two brands have developed a shoe based on Hoka’s ‘Tecton X 2’ sole. It features a carbon fibre plate to enable dynamic running on different surfaces, the US footwear and apparel supplier Deckers Brands announced on Tuesday....

Featured

Fashion |Interview

Sustainable sneakers: Materials, production, and the future of footwear

The footwear sector, including sneakers, is incorporating sustainability initiatives, as these products are now a constant in fashion collections and are increasingly worn for various occasions. Sneakers are the focus of research and experimental projects by material producers for sustainable, recyclable, or partially recyclable components....

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Business

Asics Corporation to open dedicated production base for Onitsuka Tiger

Japanese sportswear group Asics Corporation has confirmed that its domestic shoe manufacturing facility in Japan, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Sanin Asics Industry Corporation, will be renamed the Onitsuka Innovative Factory Corporation, from January 1, 2026. Asics stated in a press release that the facility would be transformed into a “...

Fashion

New sneaker brand Solk unveils its first biocircular shoe

After developing millions of shoes for global brands such as Adidas, On Running, Helly Hansen and Zara, David Solk and Irmi Kreuzer decided to launch their own brand, combining comfort, style and responsibility. At the Global Fashion Summit, which also addressed the rights of nature, they presented their first model, the ‘Fade 101’ sneaker,...

Fashion

Nike and Levi’s tease summer collaboration

Nike and Levi’s have confirmed a collaboration via cryptic Instagram posts, igniting anticipation across the fashion and streetwear industries. A joint post from both brand accounts featured a sewing machine, rivets, and denim panels bearing both the Levi’s tab and Nike’s Swoosh—imagery that suggests a fusion of sportswear and heritage workwear...