From Zero to Hero: The Salomon XT-6's Unexpected Rise in Fashion

While Salomon sneakers can be seen on just about every high street up and down the country in the present moment, some might be surprised to learn of the turbulent time one of its most revered models suffered in its early days. If you haven't guessed it already, we are, of course, talking about the now-surging XT-6.

Like many outdoor brands, Salomon's foray into the fashion world is a peculiar one. The brand started back in 1947, hailing from the foothills of the French Alps. Seeking to align itself with the post-war skiing boom, Salomon sought to conquer tricky terrain and even delivered a ski boot as its first official piece of footwear.

It wouldn't be until the '90s that Salomon would truly find its niche, as it began to produce hiking boots, inevitably setting itself up for the trail running movement in the years to follow. By 2002, Salomon had released its first sneaker, and for the following decade, a steady influx of silhouettes meant Salomon was quickly establishing itself as one of the leaders in outdoor footwear circles.

In 2012, Salomon launched the S/Lab XT-6 as its state-of-the-art trail running silhouette, built to tackle even the most tedious paths. Despite initial success, the XT-6 would unfortunately fall victim to technological advancements at the time, meaning its newfound audience began to dwindle and search elsewhere.

Deterred by faltering sales, Salomon gradually began to phase out the XT-6, and by 2016, it had already been off the market for a couple of years. Seeking to destroy the pairs, a notice signifying the end of the XT-6 landed in Salomon special projects manager Philippe Lalonde's inbox, and thanks to a moment of forward-thinking, the XT-6 was saved from its untimely doom.

It just so happened that Lalonde was searching for a crossover hit in Salomon’s archives at the time, and the XT-6 had now presented as the perfect candidate for a refresh. After experimenting with the design, he noticed the silhouette was ideal for a number of eccentric colour combinations, so the green light was given, and production was quickly back underway.

Fast-forward to 2018, and the Salomon XT-6 landed in stores for its second run. With the likes of Arc'teryx and The North Face fueling the apparel side of the gorpcore trend at the time, consumers also sought to embrace outdoor-focused footwear styles, quickly landing upon Lalonde's revitalised XT-6 as an option.

You can likely attribute part of XT-6's success in its fashion thanks to its positioning in the market. Instead of making it readily available in outdoor adventure stores, the XT-6 called high-end fashion locations like Dover Street Market and END. Clothing home, subsequently fuelling the hype among both streetwear and high-fashion audiences.

Due to its new popularity within these circles, the XT-6 quickly saw itself chosen as a point of reference for collaboration. Shortly after its reintroduction, link-ups with the likes of Palace Skateboards, COMME des GARÇONS and BEAMS saw the XT-6 connect with the wider fashion realm on an entirely different level.

Today, the XT-6 stands as a triumphant reminder of Salomon's success within the fashion industry. Having seen continued popularity since its re-release, the XT-6 has broken the barriers of its outdoor constraints and solidified itself as a staple among fashion crowds worldwide. With fresh colourways and collaborations releasing and selling out on a regular basis, the XT-6 remains among the most sought-after footwear models on the market, and as things stand, it doesn't look like it's going to disappear again for some time to come.