Mid-2026 Trend Report

Our Instagram Discover feed is full of posts professing how running groups are becoming the new way to showcase fashion and taste, with brands merging performance and style as the ultimate status symbol. Well I have a Newsflash for ya: if you’re only now noticing this, you’re at least four years behind the curve. Challenger brands are now creeping into the mainstream of running, where they once were only known by the few who lived to discover the most-niche corners of the sport.

When I began running in the early ‘10s, any consideration for fashion was for the most part ignored. This was the era of neon dri-fit tees and knee-length compression socks, the height of cool was Nike’s Lunar-racer. No wonder ‘trendy’ wasn’t a word commonly associated with runners.

Fast-forward a decade, and the culture of the run-club has become so pervasive as to bordering on a meme. Anyone familiar with the tropes of the London run-clubber could close their eyes and sketch an image in their mind of the kind of clobber donned for a social 5k; blokes in shabby-chic muscle tanks, cap pulled down low and half-tights; women in hi-waist shorts with matching crop; wrap around shades worth as much as a month’s rent and EVO SLs are part of the game. If you ain’t dressin’ you ain’t runnin’, it seems. The point at which running is no longer about running, is near. Some might even say, we’ve reached the post-running period for running. 

I digress.

Just where we’ll see running-wear go, from an aesthetic and technical perspective, is anyone’s guess – mine is as good as a stab in the dark. But I’ll take the stab anyway. So without further ado, here are my trend predictions for the rest of 2026.

1. It might seem a way off, what with all the warm weather and all, but autumn 2026 is going to bring back the casual sweatshirt and shorts look from the ‘90s into running wear. Retro football shirts, coach jackets, vintage snapback caps have been around for a few cycles now, but I predict it’s only a matter of time before we see them taking off again in running. Brands are going to get behind them, re-inventing that faux-vintage casual aesthetic. The perfect antidote to the techy look of wrap-around shades and paperweight jackets. The Bandit Tettura pullover from the London Capsule is the perfect example of where we’ll see things go.

2. Shoeflation continues. To my chagrin. There are good shoes out there UNDER 40mm of stack, people! However I don’t think we’re out of the woods on the moon-boots just yet, and there will continue to be a glut of trainers popping up in the maximal category. Let’s be more like Nike with the Pegasus 42, please. Post-’27, I’m calling it that shoes will dip back down, but for now, we’re going to have to wait.

3. Speaking of low-stack shoes and retro vibes, I’m calling bold block patterns as officially IN for 2026. We’ve had a lot of stealthy black and smoky neutrals in for a few years now, and whilst it’s cool, is it really fresh? Therefore two-tone singlets, striped tees, pinstripe shorts and tights are all officially on my bingo card. Think what Tracksmith did for the ‘50s but some other brands will do with the ‘80s vibe. Need it back!

4. Mock-necks are on the return as evidenced last winter. They’ll be sticking around for a bit. Running turtle-necks are just a matter of time.

5. Track is back. Not a clothing prediction, but a competition one, I’m seeing more and more people taking to the track to train, so it’s time to realise that there is a whole world of races on the synthetic oval! The marathon and road-running is cool and all, but there will be more and more growth in accessible, fun and fast track meetings for all. Peckham Pacers 5000s are a great example, perhaps setting the trend for what’s to come in summer 2026.

6. Collabs. Not dead. In fact, veritably alive and thriving. Expect more “legacy brand-challenger brand” stuff like Adidas x Satisfy, more luxury-running crossover and running brands entering a lifestyle space. 

Was this list groundbreaking? No. Was it informative? Also could be no but hopefully at least one person enjoyed it. Email me if you’re that person. And who knows if any of these things will actually come through into the forefront but time will tell. 

Thanks for reading.