Hokas. If you haven’t seen the extremely cushioned, overstated profile of the fashion world’s latest shoe obsession, you probably haven’t been spending much time on the internet. Or at trendy brunch destinations frequented by Gen Z. Or on the streets of New York. Or San Francisco….You get the picture.
The distinctive running shoe, initially designed for long-distance racing in the mountains, has risen to lifestyle and fashion fame in recent years, and become a household name among runners and non-runners alike.
We sat down with Hoka’s VP and US general manager Steve Doolan in December to chat about going viral, meeting Gen Z in the middle, doubling down on brick and mortar, and staying true to the running community.
Doolan, an avid skier, cyclist, and gearhead, has been involved with the Hoka brand for 13 years. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” he told Retail Brew.
That right place was Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2010, when Hoka was presented in the US for the first time. And while Hoka’s “ride” (what it feels like to run in a shoe) was almost antithetical to the barefoot movement in the running world at the time, Doolan said he was hooked from the get-go. Today, he oversees the brand’s wholesale, DTC, marketing, and merchandising arms.
A lot has changed for the brand since those early days in Utah, and Doolan has had a front-row seat.
Going viral: Hokas may be spotted on many a TikTok-inspired hot girl walk, and on celebrities of all kinds, but that explosion of notoriety is less about marketing strategy and more about design, Doolan said.
- The original intent behind the brand may have been to run longer and faster, but today, Hoka recognizes that its iconic cushioning has far-reaching applicability, from medical staff to Doolan’s own mother, who swears by her Hoka Bondis for her daily walks.
- “There is a really differentiated ride characteristic…it feels good and you like walking, standing, running in a pair of Hokas. And the reality is that’s what’s driven our success to this point,” he explained.
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As far as Hokas’ meteoric rise to lifestyle stardom, Doolan says staying true to the brand has taken it to the top.
“There’s an authenticity in terms of what the brand means that is recognized in a younger consumer set, for whom authenticity is critical,” he said. “From that also just stems a coolness.”
Tapping the trends: Staying true to the running community is still Hoka’s top priority, but the brand is also working to give its lifestyle and fashion consumers what they’re asking for, Doolan said, pointing to the “eggnog” colorway for the popular Clifton 8 as well as the limited-edition Pastel Packs.
While Hoka’s original target consumer isn’t likely to make a purchase based on the availability of the perfect cool neutral, the brand is taking style outside the running world into account for merchandising and assortment planning, Doolan added.
“We’re absolutely conscientious of…the stylistic desires of individuals, and we I think we have a responsibility to give people the thing that they want.”—MA