In many ways, HOKA has done more to revolutionise the way Australians move than any other athletic brand in the last decade. Already adored for the plush trainers that have taken run clubs and coastal promenades by storm in recent years, the French-born imprint is, above all else, one that gets people moving - whether they be first-time runners, everyday strollers, or elite athletes.
The question of how HOKA rose from its status as an ‘IYKYK’ niche running brand to an athletic powerhouse instantly dissolves once you lace up a pair of their shoes for the first time. The brand’s ethos is, and always has been, simple: radical running tech packaged to cater for every type of mover, opening up new horizons both for those taking their first steps into a more active lifestyle and those pushing for a new PB.
As such, HOKA has been responsible for developing some of the most iconic runners in recent memory, from the ultra-plush Bondi and Clifton, to the race-winning Rocket X. Once the word got out, the rest was history, with HOKA largely laying the blueprint for an entire generation of comfort-focused, maximalist running shoes that would evolve from its early releases.
HOKA’s FlyLab is a physical manifestation of that ongoing commitment to fearless innovation - a travelling activation that, having already popped up in locations across the world, is now set to land in Sydney’s Pitt St Mall to get people inspired to move in new ways, regardless of what stage they’re at in their own fitness journey.
An installation that’s as active as it is interactive, the FlyLab will arrive just as the starting gun fires on Global Running Day, but at a time when Sydney is forming one of the central hubs of a global running community that has exploded in size and inclusivity over the last few years. The FlyLab will put HOKA at the centre of this celebration, inviting all to experience how the brand’s latest tech can unlock new modes of movement for everyone.
While plenty are now familiar with HOKA’s core range, the FlyLab is out to highlight the models that represent HOKA’s ethos of pushing the limits of tech in every type of mover. Visitors will be able to feel and trial the Cielo X1, the brand’s most cutting-edge carbon-plated race shoe; the Skyward X super trainer, which delivers a raceday feel in a plush package for optimised training; and the Mach 6, which redefines the kind of ride and responsiveness you can get out of a lightweight trainer.
A lab by name and by nature, the FlyLab is above all a monument to the relentless pursuit of advancement, celebrating not only the cutting-edge tech that makes these models the choice of elite athletes today, but the years of innovation and gradual improvement that have come before them. Visitors can trial the latest innovations, explore core models and get a glimpse of how far running tech has come in a few short years, but the exciting path that all athletes have still yet to tread.
Beyond the shoes, the FlyLab’s simple aim is to open up new experiences to all through a bevy of experiential installations, from 3D scanning for those looking to upgrade their running shoe rotation, to intimate masterclasses covering all things running, movement and innovation in the fitness space.
Open to all, HOKA FlyLab will be open to visit at Sydney’s Pitt St Mall from June 5-9, with more details about the schedule of masterclasses here.
Pitt Street Mall
182 Pitt St
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
