Hoka Is The Latest Chunky “It” Sneaker

StockX released its Current Culture Index for Midyear 2022 on Wednesday, August 17, and the live marketplace’s latest report is calling out the brands that have grown the fastest over the first six months of the year. When it comes to what’s trending in sneakers, a running brand stole the top spot by a landslide: Hoka (or Hoka One One) experienced a massive jump in “trade growth,” or sales by a whopping 3,606%, compared to the same time in 2021. The leading brand was followed by Puma with an increase in sales by 415%, and Common Projects with a 376% spike.

“Hoka has been a really interesting brand to watch,” Drew Haines, StockX Merchandising Director of Sneakers & Collectibles, tells NYLON, who points the brand’s increasing popularity to customers’ demand for more classic running and hiking-style sneakers, as well as Hoka’s recent fashion collaborations, which have included Bodega and Moncler. “Hoka’s success coincides with a broader trend we’re seeing right now, which is a preference for functional or utilitarian products. Whether it’s running shoes, trail shoes, or technical apparel, people are embracing these products as a part of their everyday wardrobe.”

Haines has also noticed that Hoka’s top spot is a reflection of the market in general, as customers are looking beyond sought-after legacy names — like Nike, Jordan Brand, or Adidas — to add to their sneaker collection. “They face increased competition as brands like Hoka and New Balance rise up the ranks,” he notes. “Additionally, we’re paying close attention to brands like Birkenstock and Crocs, which are capitalizing on successful collaborations and finding their own place in today’s sneaker market as a result.”

We also saw Hoka’s rise coming back in 2019, when we wrote about how the brand was bound to become the next “cool dad” sneaker, thanks to early fashion collaborations with Outdoor Voices and Opening Ceremony, as well as a slew of runway show cameos from Sandy Liang and Collina Strada, among others. It was only a matter of time until the chunky shoe made its way into the wider, more mainstream fashion zeitgeist, and perhaps the shoe will start to replace your New Balance 990s sometime soon.