Salomon is a French outdoor sports brand founded in 1947 in Annecy, France by François Salomon and his family. Originally specialized in ski equipment and bindings, Salomon expanded into technical footwear in the 1970s and became one of Europe's leading trail running, hiking, and mountaineering footwear brands. The company is owned by Amer Sports.
Trail running heritage
Salomon's footwear reputation was built in the 2000s-2010s through elite trail running performance. The XA Pro 3D (2000), Speedcross (2006), and S-Lab Sense (2013) are among the most awarded trail running silhouettes in competitive ultrarunning. Salomon maintains a dominant position in global trail running market share.
The 2020 fashion crossover
Salomon's cultural transformation began around 2019-2020 as technical outdoor brands entered mainstream fashion. Specific releases drove the moment:
- Salomon XT-6 — the central silhouette of the fashion resurgence. Worn by Bella Hadid, A$AP Rocky, and everyone in between
- Salomon ACS Pro — 2022 ultra-technical aesthetic
- Salomon XT-Wings — early-2000s trail silhouette revived
- Salomon RX Moc — the "gorpcore" essentials silhouette
- Salomon × Boris Bidjan Saberi — avant-garde designer collaboration series (2019-present)
- Salomon × MM6 Maison Margiela — fashion house crossover
- Salomon × Comme des Garçons — Rei Kawakubo partnership
- Salomon × Sandy Liang
- Salomon × Palace
- Salomon × Stüssy
- Salomon × 11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi
Key technologies
- Contagrip — high-performance rubber outsole compound, industry-leading traction
- Quicklace — Salomon's signature tension-release lace system, eliminates knots
- Endofit — internal bootie for locked-in fit
- Sensifit — upper wrapping system
- EnergyCell — performance midsole foam
- Gore-Tex integration — many Salomon silhouettes offer Gore-Tex waterproof variants
Current status
Salomon's lifestyle sales have grown exponentially since 2020 while the brand maintains its technical leadership in trail running. The XT-6 remains the brand's crossover flagship, with continuous colorway drops and collaborations. Trail performance models continue to win major ultrarunning competitions globally.