TL;DR: As the desire for connection grows, running brands – focused on cultural exchange, creativity, and community – are stepping up to fill a void, redefining sport as a lifestyle movement where participation, style, and belonging matter as much as performance.
Everyone is Running, and Brands Are Cashing In
Last week, in a LinkedIn post that has since blown up, our edition+partner colleague Harry Salmons noted a fascinating parallel between the surge of new running clubs and emerging running brands, and the evolving landscape of fashion.
Drawing on a recent Financial Times article that likened marathons to fashion weeks, Harry proposed the notion that, "If marathons are the ‘fashion weeks’ on the running calendar, then running at large is more like… well, streetwear."
That’s a bold take, one that had hundreds of people discussing the comparison in the comment section. Together with Harry, we decided to unpack this further.
The Perfect Storm
The rise of running brands and clubs didn't occur overnight but rather evolved slowly over the past decade. Niche brands like Satisfy, Soar, and Tracksmith, alongside longstanding running clubs, laid the groundwork for this cultural phenomenon. However, it took a convergence of factors for running to resonate with the mainstream.
As brands like Nike and Adidas diverted their attention elsewhere, the running category presented an untapped opportunity for newcomers like On Running and Hoka One One to infuse the sport with culture. The COVID-19 era further fuelled the popularity of urban running clubs by satisfying people’s desire for human interaction through community.
As Daniel-Yaw Miller, a reporter at The Business of Fashion and an avid runner, aptly put it to SOTA, "Running clubs have become the new creative collectives, pockets of influential people come together not just to run, but to share and exchange ideas, collaborate, and also flex."
Brands like Norda, Bandit, UVU, NSLB, and Over Over have emerged quickly, and are celebrated for their storytelling prowess and community-building efforts reminiscent of early streetwear brands. But streetwear at large, once part of a grassroots movement, has since become part of a multi billion-dollar industry that’s lost its original meaning and has left a void in authentic community-building and cultural influence.
The question becomes then, where are people flocking to instead?
Image courtesy: UVU.
With the decline of third spaces, lines between sport and fashion that continue to blur, and a growing desire for physical community hubs and platforms for cultural exchange, creativity, and belonging, running culture emerges as a natural successor. But why?
1. Democratising Culture
First, streetwear and running share a common ethos of democratisation, bypassing traditional norms in fashion and sports through a spirit of accessibility. Unlike sports such as golf or tennis, which require expensive equipment and costly memberships, running is a free activity that only necessitates a pair of shoes.
Similarly, streetwear simplifies fashion to everyday basics like hoodies and t-shirts, offering affordable alternatives to high-end brands. Both embody a shared lifestyle and community-driven codes, allowing individuals to find meaning and belonging in their everyday activities.
Streetwear labels often originate from existing-communities-turned global internet brands, transformed through limited runs of homemade screen-printed tees which beyond a simple blank garment serve as a vessel to publicly convey a certain lifestyle. Similarly, the bar for forming a run club is equally low.
This fosters a shift in what it means to truly participate. Both running and streetwear prioritise commitment over accolades, allowing individuals to redefine their roles without formal credentials.** Streetwear icons like Virgil Abloh and Shayne Oliver revolutionised design without traditional schooling, much like a new generation of casual runners who embrace the lifestyle without professional training.
Although professional designers and runners exist, unlike luxury fashion, where high prices create barriers to entry, both streetwear and running cultures are inclusive, as evidenced by the diverse participants in events like the 44th London Marathon.
What’s more, runners, united by shared values of health, wellness, community, (and, it appears, a love for coffee) find belonging through club merchandise, echoing streetwear's role in group identification. Whether donning a club tee or socks, runners make a statement, akin to the streetwear movement, where personal expression leaves a mark on a larger cultural landscape.
2. Status and Hype
Increasingly, on street-level, running apparel is replacing streetwear as the primary status symbol. Just as every trip outside wearing a Supreme Box Logo in 2015 conveyed a message of status, today's modern runner uses each run as an opportunity to flex, posting their Satisfy shorts on Strava instead of their Palace Gore Tex jacket on Instagram.
With streetwear culture diluted by luxury commodification and mass-market buy-ins, running culture is thriving through its diverse and niche brand offering. Brands like Satisfy, Our Legacy Work Shop, District Vision, and Oakley have become totems of the movement, with hot items selling out quickly as runners vie for the coolest gear.**
This resurgence of status is fuelled by the quantifiability of price and exclusivity, reminiscent of streetwear's 'hype' culture. Nike's 'Alpha Fly 3' sold out in two minutes and resold for almost £600, while Drake's Air Force 1 collaboration sits online. The queue at UVU's London Marathon exclusive drop in Soho surpassed that of Supreme's the prior week. Evidently, at some point in the not so distant future, running gear will become as hyped as streetwear.
3. Physical Participation
Both running and streetwear demand physical participation, distinguishing the dedicated from the casual. Queuing for streetwear drops was once a rite of passage in streetwear culture, akin to the large number of people gathering around a run club meet spot and spaces like those of NSLB, Pure Sport, and Minted New York.
This commitment extends to joining run clubs, where one's dedication to the culture is solidified. Just as streetwear requires earning one's stripes for acceptance, running culture thrives on active engagement. The sense of belonging within these communities, much like being part of a tribe, is palpable.
In other words, in contrast to luxury where buying in is enough, both streetwear and running demand active involvement. You can buy into Nike Running, but joining Berlin-based run club Optimistic Runners requires more than a purchase — it requires showing up and putting in the work physically and socially.
4. Local Movements Create Big Waves
What’s more, the global running apparel market is expected to reach $16.3 billion by 2028, driven by running's newfound cultural significance. For brands, finding growth starts small. Local movements offer brands a viable and authentic way to integrate into dynamic cultures.
As subcultures grow, they naturally attract attention from larger companies seeking commercial opportunities. Streetwear, once underground, captivated luxury brands, leading to high-profile collaborations with industry giants like Louis Vuitton and Givenchy.
On Running and Saucony have worked with run club Your Friendly Runners, New Balance sponsored Hackney's Run The Boroughs club, and PUMA collaborated with Puresport Run Club for the launch of their new Velocity NITRO 3 shoe, illustrating the enduring interest from bigger brands in local heroes. This is just the start.
5. From Streetwear Stores to Club Houses
Like streetwear, running culture transcends borders by creating worldwide networks of dedicated local home bases. Running now thrives in physical spaces similar to streetwear boutiques, which beyond merchandise foster a sense of community and culture exchange, wherever in the world you go.
Examples include the Patta Run Crew in Amsterdam, and venues like Tracksmith in London and Bandit in New York, which mirror the camaraderie found within the crews created by Supreme and Stüssy. Beyond being just a space for connectivity, in running, club houses speak to the wider running ritual, with some offering amenities such as massage rooms and cafés, enhancing the overall experience from pre to post-activity.
With the parallels between streetwear and running culture being clear, what can other brands learn from running’s rise?
“These small brands recognise that a whole generation of runners care just as much about the culture and aesthetics of running, as they care about their 5k personal best times,” says BoF’s Daniel-Yaw Miller.
“Many brands nowadays try to be everything to everyone — how can a product be luxurious or exclusive if everyone has it? This is the antithesis of what these emerging running brands do — they seek small, niche communities, are hyper-focused on them, and go deep. The result is that these people become all the more avid supporters thanks to their feeling of belonging and exclusivity,” he adds.
Jonny Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of streetwear brand Cole Buxton and Chief Brand Officer of London-based running label UVU agrees. “Many people call it merch, and it is, but really it’s your kit, it’s the badge on the football jersey that tells everyone what team has captured your heart. There’s not a lot out there to attach such passion to at the minute. I think people just want to believe in something these days.”