In fashion, the best trends are the ones that have always been there, lingering in the periphery, never fully announcing themselves until suddenly they’re everywhere at once.

It’s hard to call activewear new, it’s been around for decades. What we’re seeing in this most recent surge of the genre is not so much a retooling of activewear to fit into the fashion landscape (like we have in the past), but an embracing of the technological advancements of activewear to further push fashion forward.

When you think about a pair of Stan Smith sneakers or Jordans, it’s not the technical elements of the shoes that draw people to them, it’s the cool factor. It isn’t about the athletic nature of the shoe, it’s about what the iconic silhouette of the shoe represents.

The flip side of this is designers reimagining athletic styles with elevated materials or silhouettes. Rick Owens and Amiri both have tried their hands at leather basketball shorts; Balenciaga hit a home run with their all too familiar oversized Triple S sneaker. These aesthetically interesting styles were never meant to be worn in any sort of functional athletic capacity.

What has suddenly become popular is the real deal – activewear that can just as easily be worn to lunch as running in a marathon. Maybe this particular rise in activewear is partially a result of the pandemic, where for many simply leaving the house has become a feat so grueling that athletic wear is required. Perhaps it’s the influence of technical yet somewhat inaccessible brands increasing the hype around functional clothing. Or perhaps they are finally just making technical product that looks cool enough to wear in everyday life. Regardless, it’s nearly impossible to not see activewear everywhere one looks. From the office to the runway there is a general understanding that not only is activewear here to stay, there seems to finally be an acceptance that what makes the genre so great is comfort and versatility… that you can be truly ‘active’ in it without sacrificing style.

No brand has benefited more from this recent activewear movement than On. Founded in 2010, the Swiss-based brand’s dedication to technological innovation and elevated design has made them a cult-favorite of runners for over a decade, but seemingly overnight they have catapulted themselves into a household name. From celebrities wearing them on a night out to your neighbor at the grocery store, On is everywhere at once, and on everyone at once. This didn’t come from a splashy advertising campaign or a huge influencer network, but rather their slow and deliberate building of a core philosophy – dedication to their product. A decade’s worth of refinement and innovation that has allowed On to fill a void in the market.

On’s achievement is two-fold – they’ve produced a shoe with several innovative technological elements such as their CloudTec cushioning, while maintaining stylish designs and accessibility to a wide range of customers. Now with a full clothing line that carries the same design philosophies and a partnership with tennis great Rodger Federer, On is positioned to become a disruptor within a space that has historically been crowded out by a few big players.

As fashion continues to look to activewear for inspiration, On has become the fresh-faced challenger that’s ushering in a new era of form and function.