They are called On Running, the sneakers that are born with the undoubtedly ambitious goal of ‘changing the world of running’. The first thing that comes to mind is how a brand and a particular model (we’ll get there) managed to climb the quarterly list of the most sought-after items on Lyst with a name, ‘On’ to be exact, that is the farthest thing from any SEO strategy and any tactic to befriend Google’s algorithm. Yet that’s exactly how it went. The model everyone desires is called Cloud and first appeared in 2014, created by three friends: Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti, respectively a triathlon champion athlete, an engineer with an obsession for shoes, and an economist with a passion for stories.

The three founded the brand On Running in 2010, and in Zurich they began experimenting based on both technological knowledge and direct experience. From prototypes to worldwide success, the journey was truly short, a journey in which the association between Olympic golds or world titles and On Running sneakers becomes increasingly frequent. This is also because in November 2019, Roger Federer, the Swiss champion who needs no introduction, joined the company as an entrepreneur, alongside the founding partners. The model The Roger, inspired by the world of tennis and presented in a live stream by Federer himself in July 2020, sold out immediately. In September of this year, after a vertical growth in revenues in 2020, also due to the running craze during the pandemic phase when not many sports could be practiced, the brand went public on Wall Street with excellent results, and a big race on the streets of New York among athletes and enthusiasts running to ring the famous bell that starts trading. The numbers speak for themselves: 8100 retailers in 50 countries, 1000 employees, and around 17 million pieces sold so far.

Today, the most sought-after model of the brand is called New Cloud, and it is the latest perfected version of the Cloud born in 2014. Technological and design innovations concerning the sole, the interior in ultra-light double-density materials that mold around the foot, and a series of minimal and invisible improvements that enhance the shoe’s performance in the long run. A sneaker made by runners for runners, which in the end has conquered everyone.