In recent years, fashion houses have begun to tinker with a new category of luxe sneaker—one you might even wear to the gym. Bottega Veneta touts its Orbit runner, made from technical fabric and mesh, and Berluti has unveiled a new, lighter iteration of its knit-upper Shadow. Prada, perpetually ahead of the trends, continues to refine and update its America’s Cup models, originally made for its Luna Rossa sailing team in the late 1990s. There has also been a number of footwear collaborations between designer labels and activewear brands, such as the partnership between Loewe and On, which began in 2022, and, most recently, Thom Browne’s turn with Asics, which resulted in a limited-edition version of the latter’s Gel-Kayano runner marked with the former’s signature grosgrain stripe.

“I think every brand is looking for ways to expand their audience base,” says menswear stylist (and committed Barry’s Bootcamp attendee) Nick Wooster, adding that active lifestyles and an interest in fashion tend to go hand in hand. In particular, he notices a natural synergy between Thom Browne—himself a runner—and training for a trimmer physique. “It makes sense. You’ve got to be pretty fit to look good in those clothes,” Wooster continues.

Robert Burke, cofounder and C.E.O. of the luxury consulting firm Taylor / Burke Communications, notes that the sneakers born of these collaborations tend to be priced more accessibly than the designer’s main line, providing aspirational consumers with a way to buy in. At the same time, their scarcity ensures they attract a label’s core clientele as well.

“It gives the established customer of these luxury brands something fun to buy, and they become very ‘status’ to have now because of their limited quantities,” he says, citing the São Paulo sports club he works with where the Loewe x On Cloudtilt and Cloudsolo have come to dominate the gym floor.

For Nordstrom men’s fashion director Jian DeLeon, there’s also the convenience factor. He points to his own example of traveling in Hoka One Ones to fashion weeks and market shows and wearing the chunky shoe both on the treadmill and post-workout. It’s a routine he feels many Americans have fallen into—and that luxury houses view as a new opportunity.

“It’s almost like the double-duty performance sneaker that you wear outside of the gym is the new double-duty casual sport coat, something that you know works outside of a work context but can also be worn casually,” he explains.

At the same time, there’s an undeniable aesthetic appeal. Referencing the decades-long trend set by Princess Diana and by John F. Kennedy Jr. (the latter of whom has become part of the 2026 menswear zeitgeist thanks to FX’s Love Story) there’s a certain chicness to purposefully contrasting performance gear with tailoring or more traditional styles.

“This thing that was once derided—of wearing a New Balance 990 with a chino, that was seen as a very ‘dad’ style—is once again having this moment,” DeLeon continues. “Now it’s pushing it to that next level. How technical can your sneakers get when you’re wearing them with things that aren’t necessarily activewear?”

Somewhere, Jerry Seinfeld is feeling vindicated.