ON are capturing the fashion forward individual

If you're into the outdoor or running scene then running brand ON has probably been on your radar for awhile. Operating in the same spaces as HOKA and Salomon, runners see ON as a new challenger brand, taking market share from the larger players in the running game.

Previously known as ON Running, ON have dropped the ‘Running’ and now just position themselves as ON. This is part of ON’s desire to expand its horizon beyond just running and being known more for general movement. ON are doing this through smart collaborations and partnerships, working closely with brands and creatives who embody the world they're striving to show up in and hoping to borrow from their cultural currency through doing so.

They've recently released their highly anticipated collab with POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF), a leading South Korean brand specialising in technical and functional clothing. This a great collab as it makes PAF pieces more accessible through the collab via a lower price point whilst allowing PAF to leave their mark on the brand, creating pieces that will be sought after and be seen on the right people, the people who ON want to be seen wearing their brands, in spaces the brand is aiming to show up in.

Continuing along this stream, ON have also joined forces with FKA Twigs, as a creative partner for their new training line. another demonstration of ON's ambition to appeal to a fashionable audience, that are often who set the trends.

FKA is known for her distinct avant garde style, she is unique and inherently herself. With movement being core to her creative expression, especially as a contemporary dancer representing the attitudes of the kind of person ON wants to align themselves with.

When you combine her individuality, artistry and how movement is at the core of how she expresses herself, it quickly becomes clear why ON chose to partner with her. With women often being isolated at this stage of a brand's journey, ON are also signalling their intention to build an inclusive audience from early.

ON have also collaborated with luxury fashion house Loewe, their most explicit indication of their desire to align with the world. Staying true to their commitment to movement however, ON have also collaborated with Kolam, a Sri Lankan food spot based in Paris, for a run-and-dine event.

A similar strategy was employed by Salomon on its journey to becoming a prominent feature in the cultural landscape. Over the last few years, the french outdoor brand has built a new audience for itself beyond its core audience but not at the cost of neglecting it. Salomon started their Salomon sports style page to be their more culturally leaning arm of the brand, through this we've seen collabs with Margiela, Palace and popular Parisian food spot Jah Jah to name a few. Salomon also funded Dijonss in 2023, a multipurpose space run by Bone Soda. Through all these moves and plenty more, Salomon managed to integrate itself into the world of the fashion-forward individuals, once they achieved that, mass appeal naturally followed, as the fashion-forward individual is usually the trendsetter, the early adopter that influences those that come after.

Time will tell whether that will be the case for ON but considering their recent moves and their increasing visibility, one could argue it's more a matter of when, not if…