Runway Kicks

This year's fashion sneaker collabs herald the return of the hood shoe.

When Thom Browne sent his latest collection down the runway during this year’s Super Bowl weekend at a special San Francisco show staged by GQ, the designer’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection finished with a surprise. During the finale, models walked out wearing Browne’s upcoming collaboration with Asics.

Consisting of three monotone colorways of the Gel Kayano 14, some models wore them on their feet while others had them accessorized around their outfits, perhaps a cheeky homage to one of the most prominent Jordan shoots of all time.

But it didn’t take long for the photos to do their viral thing. Although many announced it was the first time Thom Browne had done a sneaker collaboration, that’s technically incorrect. Back in 2009, highly influential Parisian boutique colette tapped Browne to design an extremely limited pair of Converse Jack Purcell sneakers.

The upper consisted entirely of Browne’s signature grosgrain RWB ribbon, crisscrossed in a patchwork pattern. However, with an asking price of $1,800—a lot especially by 2009 standards—they remained out of reach for most people. Given that the Thom Browne Kayano 14s are expected to retail around $400 when they come out, that’s a comparative bargain.

But speaking of American designers collaborating with sneaker brands, it’s worth mentioning that one of the more anticipated comebacks of New York Fashion Week is a design duo who all but pioneered mixing streetwear, sneaker culture, and runway fashion.