Five niche sneaker brands placing function over fashion, from CrossFit fave Nobull to Hoka One One, loved by Britney Spears

Niche labels are focused on taking the sneaker back to its sporty roots with performance-driven styles – and some have famous fans such as Reese Witherspoon

Nobull’s stripped down shoes are often used by CrossFit fans, Swiss brand On is endorsed by athletes such as Roger Federer, and Ralph Lauren is a fan of Salomon

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Sneakers from cult label Keen, one of several niche players producing performance sports shoes that also look good.

Published: 4:30am, 30 Jun 2020Updated: 10:04am, 9 Jul 2020

Sneakers are ubiquitous in the fashion world, with offerings ranging from luxury brands to high street retailers.

It is easy to forget that this must-have fashion accessory was originally created for sports and other outdoor activities.

The category has now come full circle as niche labels take the sneaker back to its roots with styles that are still fashionable, but are performance-driven.

“I think most of the emerging brands are well aware that the marketplace for performance sneakers is fairly saturated, so many approach their collections with a far narrower remit – they also tend to have quite specific technical and performance requirements for the range, often appealing to a smaller range of sporting activities,” says Benjamin Carr, a buyer at online retailer matchesfashion.com.

Niche labels such as On are bringing the sneaker back to its sporting roots.

Unlike established names such as Nike and Adidas, these unisex brands do not necessarily offer an extensive range of styles. What they lack in variety, they make up for in function. For example, APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs) was created by two former university athletes whose patented technology was once banned by the National Basketball Association in the United States because it gave players an unfair advantage.