Leaders From National Chains and Specialty Run Stores Reflect on Hoka’s Enduring Success
Retail partners have a been core to Hoka’s growth since its founding. As the Deckers-owned brand celebrates 15 years, FN reached out to some of the its key wholesale accounts to hear about what makes Hoka a good partner and why the brand continues to drive demand. Here’s what they had to say:
Frank Bracken, EVP and chief commercial officer, Foot Locker
Hoka’s superpower: “Hoka is founded on the passion and performance of athletes, consistently delivering innovation through premium design and high-quality products for the past 15 years. Throughout, Hoka has remained true to its origins, enhancing its products and brand experience while preserving authenticity and a deep connection to the running community.”
Perfect partnership formula: “Foot Locker’s partnership with Hoka is built on a strong, collaborative foundation, guided by a shared long-term vision. Over the years, we’ve forged mutual respect through the continuous exchange of ideas — spanning product development, marketing, and more. Hoka has been a committed partner, actively contributing to our shared go-to-market strategies and investing in storytelling that deeply resonates with Foot Locker customers.”
Future hopes for Hoka: “Never lose sight of your relentless drive for innovation while staying true to your core values.”
Joey Pointer, CEO, Fleet Feet
Hoka’s superpower: “[They] kickstarted the ‘maximal’ footwear movement and in staying true to this niche, they’ve been able to build trust with consumers over the years. And Hoka resonates with a wide range of consumers, offering an ultra-comfortable fit that appeals to everyone from endurance athletes and medical professionals to fashion enthusiasts, which speaks to their ability to blend comfort with performance.”
Perfect partnership formula: “From a marketing perspective, whether it’s partnering on our co-branded Humans of Hoka campaign or at an event like Western States, Hoka consistently strives to be both collaborative and innovative at both the brand level and locally across our 275 stores. Because of this, Hoka’s been our number-one footwear brand the past several years.”
Future hopes for Hoka: “The Bondi and the Clifton have become best-selling franchises, and we look forward to Hoka putting the same investment into other, newer models, like the Mach.”
Tacey Powers, EVP and GMM for shoes, Nordstrom
Hoka’s superpower: “Even as Hoka’s popularity soared, it successfully maintained a balance between cultural relevance while staying true to what makes the brand so well-loved: comfortable shoes and customer centric technology.”
Perfect partnership formula: “They are laser focused on doing what is right for both the business and the consumer. Our goals are closely aligned, and we engage in consistent, two-way conversations centered around strategic planning to achieve those goals. Hoka is an action-oriented partner that never compromises long-term success for short-term gains.”
Biggest brand icons: “While the Bondi and Clifton styles are the most well-known and successful items today, the Tor Ultra Low became really popular among fashion enthusiasts through key collaborations, particularly with weatherproof versions that coincided with the peak of the Gorpcore trend. Hoka has successfully preserved that momentum with the Mafate and updates to the Bondi and Clifton models.”
Brian Jones co-owner, Playmakers
Hoka’s superpower: “From our first interaction with [Nico Mermoud] at the Winter Outdoor Retailer show in 2010, we knew he and Jean-Luc Diard were on to something special. At the retail level, it was fun to help sort this out and talk to so many curious consumers. The unique beginnings make for one of the best footwear origin stories in our industry — so pure, so authentic and with incredibly functional products. So, in short, product innovation by true pioneers in Nico and Jean-Luc has driven Hoka to who they are today.”
Biggest brand icons: “The Clifton and Speedgoat are both game changers.”
Future hopes for Hoka: “A continued focus on innovation. I’d love to see max cushioning in a lower-profile responsive shoe. Not every shoe needs to be so voluminous.”
Kris Hartner, owner and founder, Naperville Running Co.
Hoka’s superpower: “First and foremost, breakthrough design. When we got the first pair from Nico, we thought they were ludicrous. I handed them off to an employee who was a trail runner and apologized for making him run in them. It wasn’t long before we were seeing people who hadn’t been able to run for years because of knee or hip pain get back to running because of a pair of Hokas.”
Biggest brand icons: “The Bondi since that’s the Hoka shoe that’s been in our top 10 the longest, and it has four years on the Clifton.”
Future hopes for Hoka: “We’re excited to see a focus on channel-specific product differentiation. The new Skyflow is the first example of a shoe that is targeted specifically for the run specialty channel and is already our third bestselling Hoka.”