MILAN — As the global appeal of running reaches a fever pitch, the fashion community has not been immune.
Sportswear and fashion brands alike are rushing to tap into the growing community of running enthusiasts, and power players and a new cohort of indie brands hailing from different corners of the world are making strides with their combination of design, performance and sustainability.
Pitti Uomo is shedding light on some of them, mounting a dedicated section, the “Knees Up Running Space,” developed in partnership with London-based Matt Horrocks and Oliver Hooson, the founders of “Knees Up,” a running community and multifunctional space.
Here, WWD spotlights the eight brands unveiling their fall 2025 athletic collections at the fair.
Alex Zono is for fashion-savvy and humorous runners who love a quirky touch on their athletic gear. The Cape Town-based eponymous designer, himself an avid runner, creates whimsical designs with a DIY bent informed by sport attire. For the fall 2025 collection, titled “Ten Toe Express,” Zono partnered with South African textile artist Stephanie Bentumn to employ natural yarns, including felted wool and mohair, hemp and cotton plied into T-shirts, vests and socks, among other items. A new star-studded running belt is adding to the brand’s accessories range, which includes the signature “I Dig Running” trucker hat.
A look from indie running brand Alex Zono.
Courtesy of Alex Zono
Kuta Distance L.AB is a Stockholm, Sweden-based running apparel brand with a sustainable bent which focuses on local production and waste reduction. The company is committed to the use and reuse of high-tech materials for running and trail-specific apparel and accessories created by a small-scale atelier located within a few miles from its headquarters on a made-to-order basis to reduce waste inherent with mass production.
NNormal is the result of a partnership kicked off in 2023 between mountaineer and trail runner Kilian Jornet and footwear company Camper. An outdoor-leaning sportswear label — whose name is a mash-up of Norway, Jornet’s current hometown, and Mallorca, Spain, where the footwear band is based — NNormal combines the love for outdoorsy activities with respect for the natural environment. Already a B Corp-certified entity, it offers footwear and apparel designed with durability in mind, in sync with its mission: “Your path, no trace.”
A sneaker from indie running brand NNormal.
Courtesy of NNormal
Portal is a recently launched label that’s making its debut at Pitti Uomo to display accessories and solutions geared at a range of outdoor activities, from running and cycling to hiking.
Portal is a new niche running, trailing and hiking brand.
Courtesy of Portal
Raide Research is a mountaineering apparel, accessories and equipment brand established in Carbondale, Colo., by Kyle Siegel to provide high-performance items without compromising on style. With a diverse background in mechanical engineering at companies such as SpaceX and outdoor industry experience developed at The North Face’s performance outerwear division, Siegel commits to developing high-tech products using innovative materials. At Pitti Uomo, the Aspen-based brand is to unveil, among other novelties, the LF, or Light and Fast, running belt, a patent-pending boom bag designed to enhance the freedom of running and marketed as an alternative to the bestselling Raide Research backpack. The 2-liter capacity accessory features an integrated bounce-less technology.
A look from indie running brand Raide Research.
Courtesy of Raide Research
Founded in London’s Hackney neighborhood by designer and runner Tim Soar in 2015, Soar is a running apparel brand championing textile innovation and high technology. Aimed at running and trail enthusiasts, the brand incorporates cutting-edge fabrics, including the registered Space3D mesh on tops for enhanced breathability and sweat wicking, the aloe-infused liner for marathon shorts, or the UPF material used for trail racing tops. In 2022 the brand introduced a womenswear range as well as an outerwear collection filled with waterproof and breathable jackets aimed at outdoors activity. Through its ProtoLab R&D division, the brand further pushes the envelope of design and fabric innovation, taking to market, for example, a vest equipped with graphene circuits for conductive cooling geared at high-intensity competitions.
A look from indie running brand Soar.
Courtesy of Soar
The Canada-based Tiempos champions a philosophy of well-being associated with running. Founded in 2023, the brand offers running apparel that combines high-performance through the use of breathable, moisture-wicking and flexible materials with a forward-driven design. Some of those designs have crossed over from running to lifestyle and explains why many of the brand’s graphic T-shirts resembling concert merch are often sold out.
The Swedish running brand Unna, founded by designer and Woolmark Prize winner John-Ruben Holtback, takes on running’s more lifestyle-leaning bent, valuing well-being and the benefits of an active lifestyle over performance. “In Unna’s world, it’s not about finishing in the first place, but in a good place,” reads the brand’s catchphrase. Established with a sustainable bent and committed to manufacturing in Europe using responsible materials such as Econyl, Tencel, recycled polyester, GOT-certified cotton and RWS-approved wool, the brand also pledges yearly donations of 5 percent of its profits toward initiatives promoting well-being. Unna’s collections for men and women comprise apparel and accessories.
A look from indie running brand Unna.
Courtesy of Unna
