If you were to draw a Venn diagram with one circle labeled "fashion insiders" and the other "ultra runners," the first brand to come to mind must be Salomon. (The second may be District Vision, which for the record, released a truly perfect collab with Salomon in 2018.) From Kilimanjaro to front row (and on the runway) at Fashion Week, from Francois D'haene to Dev Hynes, Salomon holds secure footing on the unlikely ground where the style world has embraced technical sneakers, and the legendary French sportswear company's XT-6 is an excellent example of why.
First debuted in 2013, Salomon created the XT-6 for ultrarunners—extreme mountain athletes who take to the trail sometimes 50 miles at a time, and often with thousands of feet of elevation to climb. To help their bodies weather such a storm of activity, Salomon built the XT-6 with enough cushioning to handle more than a day's worth of trail terrain in a sleek, weather resistant design that's protective enough for the inevitable stumbles yet plenty lightweight to keep stride through sundown. Burly outsole lugs and Salomon’s instantly recognizable Quicklace system provide traction and security throughout, even on steep descents and brutal climbs.