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Our monthly dispatch of the best things brewing in run culture
The past month’s best running drops, collaborations, and special releases
Unna, Optimistic Runners, Bandit, On, Adidas, Minted, Diadora, Altra, Satisfy, Hermanos Koumori
From June to July this year, the only thing the world will be talking about is soccer (or football, depending on your location), and as things go, it will cascade into running. The mix of running and soccer has been growing, but we have now reached its peak. A flock of runners will be sporting their favorite World Cup jerseys during daily runs, and running brands will create collaborations, gear, and events that combine both sports.
I would say it’s only fair to let other sports enter the mainstream in the summer, so we can focus and prepare for the fall majors, where running will be the headline again. In the meantime, these are our favorite drops of the month.
Become speed
After a strong collaboration with Saucony, New York-based Minted NY returns with its Mach collection. The collection looks to the visual language of speed. Its graphics draw from the distortion created around objects moving at extreme velocity, with particular reference to Schlieren imaging, a technique used to visualize changes in air density.
That idea appears across a broader apparel drop, including the Mach Singlet in purple, Mach Tees in greyscale and thermal prints, LinoCotton Tees in Thermal Spine and Lab graphics, half tights, and shorts.
Another new Evo
Stella McCartney’s long-running partnership with Adidas now extends to the Adizero Evo SL.
Her version of the shoe introduces a lace-inspired upper that wraps across the silhouette and partially obscures the Three Stripes beneath the pattern. Offered in white and light blue, the release brings a softer, more decorative treatment to one of Adidas’ most visible performance-adjacent models. After weeks of silver-led running design, lace appears to be entering the conversation.
Like a kiss from a rose
Diadora has partnered with Mexican running crew Dromo on a limited-edition Atomo.
The shoe is inspired by rosa mexicano, a color with strong cultural resonance in Mexico. Positioned as an exchange between Italian and Mexican running culture, the project reflects the growing influence of local run communities on global product storytelling.
Free to wander
Altra and And Wander continue their collaboration with a limited-edition take on the Experience Wild 3+. The shoe draws from natural tones and textures, pairing And Wander’s outdoor sensibility with Altra’s trail platform. It features a Vibram Megagrip outsole with TractionLug, an integrated toe bumper, and Altra’s EGO P35 midsole foam for a lighter, more efficient ride. A redesigned heel collar and updated fit construction add security, while Altra’s signature fit keeps space in the toe box with a locked-in midfoot.
The Tartan Army
Before Hermanos Koumori became known as a running brand, it released a football-inspired collaboration. Years later, the brand returns to that reference point with Pasto y Tartan, a small collection of running tops inspired by football jerseys.
The name points to a familiar thing: a football pitch surrounded by a running track. It is a simple but effective reference to two sports that often share the same physical space, particularly in stadiums and schools. Very poetic.
Blurred lines
Adidas Running and Pace Athletic’s Blurred Lines capsule reframes the winter running top as a seasonless hybrid performance piece. Built around a streamlined, layer-friendly silhouette, the collection includes strategic paneling, considered fabrics, and a visual language heavily inspired by football jerseys.
Any time, any place
Released around the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the collection references the three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The tops are made in Bandit’s checkered jacquard performance fabric and feature a relaxed fit, flat-knit rib collar, contrast piping, and graphics across the front, sleeve, and back.
The result sits between a running top and a football jersey, a space Bandit has returned to often across seasonal collections and marathon-specific releases.
Bandit goes shady
Research Studios has introduced two new sunglass silhouettes, Foam and Stride, developed in collaboration with Bandit.
Foam has a larger, full-rim shape with a more retro profile and is offered in espresso and plaster. Stride uses a squarer lens shape and comes in black, copal, and poppy. Together, the release expands Research Studios’ performance eyewear language while keeping the styling restrained enough for both training and everyday use.
Yes, we read too
Lungs is an in-house editorial project from Optimistic Runners. First launched with a pilot issue in January 2025, the magazine treats breathing as both a subject and a structure: a way back into the body and a way to think about connection, recovery, and future-making. The project gives Optimistic Runners a broader editorial platform beyond apparel, positioning the brand on the cultural side of running rather than solely on the product cycle.
Goodness, gracious, great Volt of lightning
One of the most successful collaborations continues. On and Post Archive Faction’s Cloudboom Volt features a one-piece upper with asymmetrical overlays and exposed mesh, sitting above a double stack of Helion HF foam, a full-length carbon Speedboard, and a CloudTec outsole designed for fast transitions. The muted White/Gale and Ember/Pebble colorways keep the palette very much in PAF’s territory, allowing the shoe’s structure, negative space, and exaggerated midsole to carry the visual weight.
Guess who’s back again?
Satisfy and Oakley’s Chapter VII builds a running system for heat. The eyewear centers on a stripped-back wraparound frame with Prizm Black lenses, O Matter construction, and Unobtainium contact points for grip under sweat. It is paired with HeatCrush apparel, including tees, Desert Shorts, sleeves, and neck coolers made from ultra-light Japanese fabric designed to cool as the body moves.
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Alfredo is a runner, writer, creative director, and cultural analyst based in Berlin. After years as a casual runner, his move to Berlin transformed his running into a vital practice for mental health and a source of tranquility during cold, early morning runs. His interest in clothes comes from uniforms and sportswear, combined with a love for innovation and research—which might explain why he meticulously charts his winter running gear.
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