Hobbies Have Become A Fashion Statement & Salomons Are Setting The Pace
STYLES SUMMIT
By Cali Westmoreland | 16th January 2026Somewhere between off-piste skiing and fast-moving free climbing, fashion took a turn and realised that the new luxury is having an outdoor hobby.
Now don’t get us wrong, we aren’t talking about the cute Pinterest-coded kind – but the real ones. Sweaty ones. Ones that should involve carabiners, weatherproof membranes, and shoes that actually have a purpose. And unlike past trends that borrowed outdoor aesthetics purely for visual effect, this movement is tied to a broader cultural shift. Rock climbing gyms are now social hubs. Ski trips double as fashion-fuelled aesthetic content. Hiking, snowboarding, trail running, you name it, are now aspirational lifestyle sectors.
And the evidence speaks for itself – hobbies seem to breed more interesting style. Alternative fashion has always thrived on subcultures – skaters, climbers, snowboarders – and today’s embrace of the outdoors feels like a new chapter of that same ethos. Brands like Salomon, Arc’teryx, and ACG have similarly crossed over, becoming as common at fashion week as on alpine expeditions. Think technical sneakers with aggressive soles, zip-off cargo pants worn nowhere near a mountain, and silhouettes that feel refreshingly unbothered by the male gaze. It’s utilitarian, androgynous, and effortlessly cool.
The rise of the outdoorsy cool-girl shoe
Long rooted in alpine culture, Salomon didn’t pivot to fashion so much as fashion finally caught up to it. What makes Salomon’s rise feel authentic is that performance has always been the point. Long before front row shows and fashion campaigns, in 1947 Annecy, France, the brand focused on solving very real problems in extreme conditions – movement, safety, endurance. Precision engineering, technical innovation, and a deep relationship with the mountains shaped its identity decades before “sportstyle” entered the fashion lexicon.
And that history still shows. Their utilitarian lacing system and unmistakable silhouette weren’t designed to flatter – they were designed to function. And yet, it’s exactly this refusal to soften its edge that has made Salomon so compelling in fashion. In an era craving authenticity, these shoes feel earned rather than forced. Count on fashion to throw us yet another unexpected obsession!
The appeal lies in its model of off-duty ease. When Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Hailey Bieber began stepping out in Salomons, it wasn’t about trend hopping – it was about credibility. These shoes weren’t trying to be cool. They already were. Salomon trail runners paired with low-rise cargoes or a boxy oversized jacket have been the 411 recently. Think 90s athleisure and Brad Pitt just-off-set style, and you’ve got the right idea.
Lacing up luxury
And high fashion has kept up with this functional fever. MM6 Maison Margiela’s collaboration with Salomon blurred the lines between runway and trail, proving that performance gear could exist comfortably within conceptual fashion spaces. Sandy Liang’s chic, subversive collaboration showed Salomon at its most versatile: technical by design, stylish by instinct.
Campaigns featuring It-girls like Laila Gohar and her sisters only underline the point: Salomon isn’t selling a shoe, it’s selling a way of moving through the world. Curious. Active. And a little fierce.
Following fashion’s next fabulous trail
If this movement in style tells us anything about fashion’s future, it’s this: utility is no longer niche – it’s fashionable and here to stay. This next phase isn’t about stripping things back, but about dressing with intention. Clothes that earn their place in your wardrobe. Shoes that can take you somewhere – literally.
Fashion’s obsession with the outdoors feels less like escapism and more like evolution. After years of hyper-curation and digital perfection, we’re craving texture, terrain, and real-world experiences. The trail runner has outpaced the ballet flat. The shell jacket has taken over the blazer. And somehow, it all feels incredibly chic.
So, if you want to keep your finger on the pulse of fashion, put Salomon’s at the very top of your list. Not because everyone has them, but because they suggest you might actually be on your way somewhere.
