The Newest Addition to the Office Wardrobe? Serious Athletic Sneakers
Bright, colorful performance kicks are showing up in workplace hallways everywhere.
Sneakers clockwise from top left: Atmos x New Balance 2002R in cybernetics blue, Allbirds men’s canvas Pacers in thrive teal with clarity blue sole, APL men’s TechLoom Zipline, Veja Dekkan Alveomesh low-top, and Onitsuka Tiger X-Caliber in spinach green/white.
Photographer: Elizabeth Renstrom for Bloomberg Businessweek
When Adam and Ryan Goldston founded footwear company APL—an abbreviation for Athletic Propulsion Labs—in 2009, their goal was to improve sports performance. The brand’s first release, the Concept 1, introduced a proprietary technology that allows wearers to jump higher. It garnered immediate attention and was quickly banned by the NBA in 2010.
Their next move was a running sneaker line, and the fashion world took notice. “Our first retailer for men’s sneakers was Saks Fifth Avenue, and right away we became the two top-selling shoes there,” Ryan says. “It was evidence that there were men who wanted products that spoke to them in many different ways.”