Trail, running and hiking shoes are the new it-pieces

Shoe trends have kept us on our toes (pun intended) with their constant changes. However, it seems that the world of sneakerheads is moving towards functional yet fashionable sports style brands. While Nike Dunks and adidas Sambas used to be all the rage, chic adaptations of trail, running or hiking shoes are now flooding the resale market. And who can blame sneaker collectors for snapping up these stylish shoes as soon as they hit the apps? The emergence of these fashionable shoes is a clear indication that the market is moving in a direction that balances form and function.

Thanks to the functional trend, sports brands such as Salomon and ASICS are popular with fashionistas and celebrities alike. The Salomon XT-6 sneaker and the ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 are now considered must-haves and are highly sought after in the footwear world. Sports brands such as Hoka and ON have also entered the fashion world and recently surpassed the one billion US dollar per year sales mark. According to StockX, ON's used footwear trade is up 15,000%, while Salomon is up 202% and ASICS is up 72%.

Although established brands like Nike, adidas and New Balance still dominate overall trade volumes, emerging brands like ASICS and Salomon are doing well. Just ask Rihanna, who wore a pair of red Salomon's during her Super Bowl halftime performance. Long story short: comfort and style increasingly go hand in hand when it comes to footwear.