Overview#
Salomon will drop its inaugural China-exclusive limited capsule collection, dubbed "Mountain Summons," on August 28. The collection draws inspiration from three famed peaks in China, including Siguniang Mountain located in Sichuan province, bringing together the brand's climbing spirit and the country's great outdoors. Featuring Salomon's iconic XT-6 sneaker silhouette, the "Siguniang Mountain" colorway takes its design from thermal imaging and includes GPS coordinates on the insole.
Netizens’ Reaction#
Before the lottery to purchase the shoes opened on Salomon's WeChat mini program on August 23, the collection was launched at the brand's Chengdu store. Outdoor enthusiasts and fans of the gorpcore and mountaincore aesthetics shared their unboxing videos and posts on Xiaohongshu, which became organic campaign teasers for the upcoming drop.
Verdict
In the first half of 2023, Amer Sports managed to break even, making it the best first-half performance for the company since it was acquired by Anta Group in 2018. According to Anta's 2023 interim report, Amer Sports' revenue increased by 37.2 percent year-on-year to 1.82 billion (RMB13.27 billion) thanks to its three key brands: Arc’teryx, Salomon, and Wilson.
Established in 1947, Salomon is a well-known winter sports and trail running brand. However, it entered the Chinese market relatively late, opening its first directly-operated store there in 2019. With the investment from Anta Group, it has built strong brand awareness among local sports consumers in the past five years. According to local media outlet 36Kr, Salomon achieved triple-digit revenue growth between 2020 and 2022, of which shoes accounted for more than 70 percent.
The rapid growth of Salomon in China aligns with the surging demand for outdoor sports and trends like gorpcore and mountaincore. More importantly, the brand’s localization efforts elevate its relevance with Chinese runners and explorers. By rolling out a China-exclusive collection that pays homage to local mountains, Salomon can improve its desirability in the local market and strengthen its connection with the outdoor community.