Smino Helps HOKA Step Deeper Into Streetwear
HOKA built its name around performance footwear, but the brand’s reach has extended beyond running and trail gear over the last handful of years. Its latest campaign with Smino—the St. Louis-born artist—puts that crossover front and center, highlighting the brand's Speedgoat 2 silhouette in a motocross-inspired setting.
For Smino, though, the relationship didn’t begin with a campaign.
"HOKA started sending me mad shoes a couple years back, so they stayed in my regular rotation," he tells House of Heat°. "By the time they approached me for a campaign, they were already part of my everyday fits, so the timing was on point.”
That familiarity helped shape a campaign that showcases HOKA stepping further into a space where its footwear is already being worn by creatives and bold dressers akin to Smino.
The shoot leaned into motocross styling and dirt bike culture, an experience the 34-year-old recording artist describes simply as "very fye."
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HOKA's Smino-featuring campaign arrives as the California-based company looks to strengthen its presence among a lifestyle audience. The Missouri-native is testament to the brand's efforts and acknowledge's HOKA's organic crossover from performance running to street style.
"Streetwear is everywhere," he says. "All the best art, style, and culture comes from the streets. It’s good to see a company as big as HOKA give props to the culture that was already adopting that outdoor style. I’m happy to be a part of it."
Smino shares the campaign spotlight with the HOKA Speedgoat 2, a performance trail sneaker first launched in June 2017 that's found a second life as a casual shoe. The combination of performance heritage and cool aesthetics is something that the rapper appreciates.
"Looking good is my style, so hopefully these Speedgoat 2s make the people who love me want to get out and move," he tells us.
For HOKA, its latest campaign offers a straightforward message: performance may remain at the foundation, but the brand is increasingly comfortable letting its shoes live in music, fashion, and street culture, too.
The HOKA Speedgoat 2 “Neon Yuzu/Black” featured throughout the campaign is available now for $160. The bold colorway delivers a street-ready vibe to the almost 10-year-old shoe originally built for the trails.
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Shop HOKA Speedgoat 2 “Neon Yuzu/Black” on Foot Locker
