OK...it's ON...

Okay, it’s ON…

You know what they say? “Big feet… (long pause)… big shoes!”

Not everyone loves hats or coats with the nigh-on sensual attraction that grips those of us who are mesmerized by the construction, fabric, style and result of what comes out of some of the finest and most innovative fashion houses. Not everyone. But please take a moment and look DOWN. I’d wager that as the view drops below your drawers and down to the floors, that fashion, style & design make their way into your heart through your choice of athletic shoes. I wear US size 13 shoes, so shoes are a big part of my life, whether I like it or not. And all God’s chillen’ gots to have shoes.

This all began with the innovations that came with running shoes & sneaker evolution of the 1920’s originated by those erstwhile friendly Nazis, the Dasslers. (Adolph “Adi” Dassler nee’ ADIDAS) and older brother Rudolph Dassler (nee’ PUMA). They dominated the world class running shoe and competitive quasi sneaker market for a half century. That was in the era Before Nike exploded out of the picturesque socialist backwoods haven of Beaverton, Oregon and came onto the scene with next level US technology and marketing nous. You may have grown up with your Converse “Chucks” & Hush Puppies & other casuals but they’re gone baby gone. I’m fascinated by the technology and marketing prowess that makes things magical & captures the zeitgeist of a specific time period, & it’s stuck with me since my Disney days in the 80’s learning how best to market a movie & make it unique.

Namely: Start with a big star.

At one point in 2015 Nike had Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal & Roger Federa all signed to Nike Tennis shoes and clothing. They ruled the waves. Two Years later they were gone. Serena left to have a baby, Nadal injured, Sharapova was banned for two years & Roger Feder left Nike for Uniqlo. He was preparing to retire OUT of tennis, but wanted IN at Nike as a company partner helping develop product, full stop. In a rare moment of foolishness, Nike didn’t want a bar of it. So the opportunity to invest and innovate and make running shoes and tennis shoes in his home country of Switzerland was to be the best of both worlds.

ON Running started as an industry disrupter in 2010 & with very little capital and small, measured 1:1 specialty exposure they have now garnered 60% of the market in Switzerland and almost 30% in Germany. They’ve gone from zero to now just shy of 16% of the North American sneaker & apparel partner market & are rocketing upwards.

In short, explained to me like I’m a four-year-old, the integral technology & engineering of their patented “Cloud Tek” lands under the feet to compress & lock into place & spark the next jump, step or EXPLOSION off the ground for higher jumping, longer leaps, & just insane comfort. They were developed by a team headed by Swiss Ironman Olivier Bernhard, who was a Nike athlete at the time, and had presented his initial prototype to Nike but had it rejected. (Nike’s 2nd big mistake here!) The "clouds" underneath all On Runners offer exponential cushioning as the foot lands on the floor, before locking together to create a solid foundation for pushing off on the next step, using a single continuous filament of synthetic material robotically deposited that reduces the shoe’s required components from between 150-200 down to seven. And yes please, I can vouch for this as we’ve had several pairs as early adopters. The waterproof ones are COMPLETELY waterproof & the bladder and lining hug the foot & keep it 100% dry while running, playing golf in bucketing rain, or just walking through the wet. On 31 March of this year the directors, in conjunction with Roger Federer, launched a large soled CLOUDMONSTER. It’s a big looking beast, I think like the new big angry grills sported by the BMW automobiles of late, so they just need some getting used to---but they are allegedly the revolution in comfort & next-level generation for running. And simply walking. Speaking of walking: We walk 8 k’s a day every morning, rain or shine, 6 days a week. And the rest.

They’re not dress shoes. They ain’t fancy pants sneakers. They don’t even up at a hot ‘sneaker-off’ comp on the runway with the likes of Dior, Stone Island, Jimmy Choo, Nike or of course, McQueen, Gucci and Valentino. They’re come for the comfort and stayed for the performance. And do it in a sexy Swiss way…not in a ‘here just for the comfort’ like Birkenstock which makes you look and feel like a hippie cut out of your family fortune kind of appearance that usually pairs best with a “Just Stop Oil” T shirt.

It's uber-grooviness and matter-of-fact down to business style that goes down easy with the slick and tasty presentation of top Swiss chocolate. Like Lindt. Another Federer ally btw.

So who are their brand spokespersons? Iga Swiatek: Simply the finest female tennis player on the planet. Ben Shelton, super popular up-and-comer & male-model standout in men’s tennis. And recently they signed Zendaya: youth fashion icon and actress (Euphoria, Dune 2, Challengers) who codevelops products with them.

But at the end of the day it’s the stylish, well-spoken and elegantly philanthropic family man; the one whose life spawned the book The Roger Federer Effect about his uniqueness in the celebrity world, that is the electricity and glue behind the shoe as well as in front of it. And some of them have elastic speed laces so you don’t even have to waste time tying your own shoes.

Better get ON it.

#OnRunning Roger Federer Zendaya Iga ?wi?tek Ben Shelton #nike #adidas #shoes #fashion