Hoka One One kicked the year off with a new, “supremely versatile” running silhouette.
The Deckers brand described the Kawana as an accessible choice for those hitting the treadmill, the track, the road or even the office. The shoe debuted Saturday around the world and is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. later this month.
The Kawana features a “lively” new lightweight foam that Hoka said offers “enduring” support, durability and comfort. Gretchen Weimer, the brand’s vice president of product, described the shoe as “right between” its heavily cushioned Bondi 7 and its lighter weight Clifton 8 silhouettes.
“Offering premium comfort in our signature cushion, the Kawana answers our consumer’s demand for a versatile shoe to help them achieve their fitness goals by meeting the flexibility of their lifestyle,” Weimer said in a statement.
The Kawana combines elements from various other Hoka styles as well, including the midsole geometries of the Glide and Fly franchises and the “supple landing” from the Mach 4’s heel design. The shoe also features a new vegan recycled jacquard mesh upper, an extended heel pull and an anatomical Achilles construction for a “slipper-like” fit. The silhouette weighs 10 ounces for a men’s size 9 and 8.4 ounces for a women’s size 7.
“One thing you will always see more of from Hoka is innovation,” Weimer added. “We are constantly working to develop new product solutions that push the envelope of what’s possible in order to further empower athletes to reach their full potential. With the Kawana, we were able to take innovation and design cues from boundary-pushing products like the TenNine, Mach 4 and Carbon X franchises, and make them palatable to an everyday athlete in order to deliver something brand-new and totally unique, yet still authentically Hoka.”
Hoka One One has flourished amid the pandemic as consumers have ramped up their spending on running. During Deckers’ second fiscal quarter—the three-month period ended Sept. 30—the brand saw net sales climb 47 percent to $210.4 million. During that time period, it also opened popup retail shops in New York and Los Angeles, as well as its first owned and operated stores in China.
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“The Hoka retail strategy is in the infancy stage,” Deckers president and CEO Dave Powers said in October. “The brand is testing multiple strategies and learning from our results and feedback to provide the ultimate consumer experience, which currently features community events and workshops designed to bring Hoka consumers together. Though too soon to make any definitive statements on Hoka stores, we have been very pleased with the initial response from our foot traffic, sales and service perspective.”