A new twist on the “fun run” has emerged this season as even super-serious runners are seeking ways to “run fun.” Caroline Bermel, product marketing and GTM manager, Fleet Feet noted in a recent webinar how individuals want a fun shoe to run in. “They are looking for a shoe that is not just runnable but wearable,” said Bermel. Other run specialty retailers and running brands agree: In Summer 2026, appearance matters.  

A vibrant shoe wall at Coastal Running in Scarborough, ME, includes a fun take on performance with footwear category descriptions like “Squishy” and “Speedy.”  Store owner Alex Archambault, remarks, “Customers will say, ‘I’m not fast, so I can’t buy a fast shoe,’ and we say, ‘buy the shoe that gets you excited to run.’”  

As a lifelong runner, Steve Moore, owner of Run Moore, a specialty run shop in Westminster, MD, remembers going to specialty run shops as a teenager when “fun” was not necessarily a main focus for runners and run shops. “Now with people coming in asking for different colors of shoes, it just blows my mind,” says Moore, who adds, “Color and the look are increasingly important characteristics.”

Blue Benadum, head of R.A.D Running, a Portland, OR-based brand, whose performance shoes are both technical and eye-catching, explains, “We believe that going ‘full send’ in sport doesn’t mean sacrificing joy. Our passion is creating footwear for athletes that enables them to perform at the highest level and express themselves in ways no other brand can. Our design and color stories capture the imagination by breaking the mold and drawing inspiration beyond sport.”  

Finding the  Fun in Functional

Today’s trend of runners seeking more expressive looks has taken shape as performance tech has become a given. Runners expect footwear and clothing to be functional, whether that’s supercritical foam cushioning and carbon plates or tech tees that promote advanced wicking and sun protection properties. It’s not surprising then, that runners these days have turned their attention to aesthetics. But unlike the hi-viz hues and the “all-white” styles of seasons’ past, right now bright colors, bold designs, novel materials and whimsical prints lead the way.

Many run specialty shops are tuned into this trend. At Coastal Running, for example,  the store has an upbeat vibe that extends from eye-catching cheerful displays of Janji apparel and Skida headwear to a robust shoe wall loaded with footwear showcasing every shade of the rainbow. Brands include Brooks, Altra, New Balance, Mount to Coast, Hoka and newcomer Veloci. Archambault explains the Veloci shoe’s appeal is the combination of a wide toe box with high drop, whereas many wide toe box models are zero drop. “We want to be open-minded about bringing in new lines and willing to take a chance on something new and different,” Archambault tells us.

On the morning that we visited Coastal Running a steady flow of customers stopped by to share running experiences with Archambault, who had recently completed an Ultra 100 event. The store opened in 2024 and offers two run clubs and a book club and serves as a hub where health, wellness and self-improvement thrive. “Community comes first. It is the number one driver,” says Archambault. “It’s about running for the enjoyment and the adventure, and for getting to know people.”  

Run Fashion… Really?

The rise of run clubs, and the strong social aspect of these gatherings, also plays a role in runners’ interest in adding more personal style and expression to a run wardrobe.

Steve Moore expands on today’s run culture: “We’re in an industry that straddles the line between health and performance and a functional shoe for walking around in. We have to understand both sides of that equation and are trying to flow with how customers are evolving.” Currently Moore finds himself asking “What’s the goal? To get over your foot injury or to look fashionable?”    

Moore recalls a recent run with a customer who knew the shoe he was wearing was wrong, but bought it anyway because the color made him “look good.” On the apparel side, Moore offers the popularity of the run apparel brand ChicknLegs, known for its bold, fun prints, as an example of what customers are drawn to this season. Moore states, “I’ve been shocked by how many units have sold. And not just to high school kids, but all ages.” He adds, “I ran collegiately and back then if I showed up in ChicknLegs people wouldn’t run with me.”

Run Moore is one of only two U.S. run specialty retailers currently selling Kiprun footwear. “It’s helping us locally and outside our zip code,” notes Moore, who shares that Kiprun’s parent company Decathlon reached out to him in the summer of 2025, based on his YouTube shoe reviews, and explained that the French company wanted to come to the U.S. but didn’t have a U.S. store. Moore said that during his subsequent trip to France to meet management and learn more about the new brand, Decathlon held an event that mimicked a fashion show, complete with announcers introducing the latest styles of Kiprun “coming down the runway.”

How’s that for fun?

Nailing the Fun Aesthetic

Execs from three innovative brands share their design approach to creating performance shoes and garments that feature both style and substance.

Mike Andersen, Brand & Marketing Director, Snow Peak USA: “Each season, Snow Peak utilizes a range of fabrics and materials in pursuit of one goal: to design apparel that performs functionally and visually. For SS26, Alpha Direct was chosen to fill an essential role as a mid-layer for transitional weather days. Its versatility makes it easy to layer under water or wind-proof outerwear, or it can be worn as a standalone layer on warmer days. Snow Peak’s apparel design philosophy centers on the duality of apparel. Our designs move with the wearer between environments.”

Torrie Jackson, Vice President of CEP:  “As runner preferences continue to evolve, we’re seeing more demand for products that combine technical performance with modern design and individual expression. That’s why we’re embracing bolder colorways like neon coral and lime. They bring more energy and personality to the collection while staying true to the compression technology and sports science that define our brand.”

Cooper Lambla, Head of Brand + Marketing, Astral: “There’s something profound about a shoe that doesn’t just run on the earth, but is made from it. Add in a zero-drop and wider toe box shape, Astralite supercritical foam, G.15 Rubber and an optimal stack height on our new TR1 Sensi HT shoes, and you have something that truly activates your senses on any terrain.”