Tradition meets tech: How sports brands lead innovation

In an increasingly competitive sportswear market, brands are finding bold new ways to engage both athletes and consumers. Hoka’s Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pop-up demonstrates that ancient wisdom can coexist with modern innovation, while Nike’s neuroscience-based footwear is rewriting the rules of training, performance, and recovery. Meanwhile, Li-Ning, Anta, and Adidas are putting Chinese design on the global radar, showcasing the power and creativity of homegrown talent. Brand spotlight: Hoka brings ancient healing to modern running culture Hoka teamed up with Zhongyaotang, a Chinese herbal gelato shop based in Shanghai, to launch a “Running Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor” (跑步老中医)–themed space on October 18. As part of its running community initiative “Endless Weekend” (周末没完), Hoka and Zhongyaotang created immersive wellness hubs in Shanghai and Chengdu, offering runners an experience that fused sports with traditional Chinese health culture. The event ran through October 31. Drawing inspiration from TCM’s four diagnostic methods — observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and pulse-taking — the event featured a variety of engaging interactive sessions, each accompanied by custom stamps and creative stickers. On-site, attendees sampled limited-edition Chinese-style gelato co-created by Hoka and Zhongyaotang. After completing the experience, each participant received an exclusive sports health plan. Runners then gathered at Zhongyaotang for a 5K jog to Hoka stores, where they explored the brand’s full range of products. The collaboration broke the conventional mold of running events. It combined immersive elements, such as ancient-style TCM pharmacy décor and on-site consultations with TCM experts, and creative touches like herbal gelato and wellness gift packs, running routes linking city landmarks and brand stores, and social media check-ins paired with limited-edition merchandise. For participants, it created a multi-layered experience that seamlessly merged cultural engagement, social interaction, and rewards, bridging age-old wellness wisdom with modern sports trends. Consumer response @Lihu Lake Xiaoyi (麓湖小姨), Xiaohongshu user “At Hoka’s pop-up, you get a TCM pulse check while eating gelato — total genius and so relaxing. Who’d have thought a shoe pop-up would bring in TCM practitioners? They do on-site consultations, and the senior TCM doctors even work on your shoulders and neck. To top it off, they hand out herbal medicinal gelato. Let’s be real — you can’t miss snagging this deal. The pop-up also has new running shoe displays, and there are outdoor activities on the sports community venue’s lawn. It basically maxed out the weekend fun.” @Catherine (凯瑟琳), Xiaohongshu user “Hoka’s collab event with Zhongyaotang gave runners a chance to gather. Shanghai finally cooled down after its longest summer on record this weekend, but the event’s energy didn’t drop a bit. Pulse consultations turned out to be a hit with young attendees — but in the eyes of the TCM aunties, every young person is, without exception, sub-healthy. ‘We’re all ailing in some way’ is probably how we look at them. As for me? I was diagnosed with qi and blood deficiency. Guess I need to exercise more.” Brand updates Nike debuts first neuroscience-based footwear Nike has unveiled its first footwear line rooted in neuroscience, featuring two silhouettes: the Nike Mind 001 slide and the Mind 002 sneaker. Both styles incorporate 22 independent foam nodes, precisely bonded to a flexible, water-repellent material. By targeting and stimulating key areas of the sole, these nodes activate the corresponding sensory nerve centers in the brain, enhancing athletes’ body awareness. Designed to help athletes achieve their optimal mental state before and after competition, the Nike Mind shoes demonstrate the depth and breadth of the brand’s athlete-centric innovation. Adidas presents ‘Power of Three’ fashion show in Shanghai On the final day of Shanghai Fashion Week, Adidas hosted its “Power of Three” show at the historic Bund City Hall Plaza, alongside a series of immersive fashion experiences celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Creation Center Shanghai. Drawing inspiration from its iconic three-stripe symbol, the show unfolded across four creative chapters — Future Stripe, Modern China, Dance Clash, and Undeniably Adidas — bridging past and future while connecting the local with the global. Over 100 cutting-edge looks, crafted by local design teams, seamlessly merged athletic technology with East Asian aesthetics. The brand also launched a see-now-buy-now feature, enabling consumers to purchase new styles as they appeared on the runway. Van Rysel powers Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to strong finish at Tour of Guangxi The 2025 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Tour of Guangxi concluded successfully on October 19. Van Rysel, Decathlon’s professional road cycling brand, supplied equipment for the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team, whose rider Victor Lafay finished second in the general classification. The brand also invited more than 60 cyclists from local clubs, Decathlon stores, and specialized media outlets to attend a brand presentation, Q&A session, and autograph signing. Afterwards, guests joined the “Ride with the Pro” event alongside all seven team riders. From the fiercely competitive UCI WorldTour Tour of Guangxi to the vibrant Beijing Baiyanggou Cycling Gathering, Decathlon continues to advance its philosophy of “making sports accessible to all,” bringing professional-grade cycling technology to the public and fostering a culture of active living. Anta debuts Hélà Styled collection in France On October 18, Anta hosted a showcase for its Hélà Styled collection — designed in collaboration with basketball player Kyrie Irving — in Paris, France. The event took place at Footpatrol, a premium boutique and streetwear destination under JD Sports, Europe’s leading sports retail group. The Hélà collection reflects Irving’s personal ethos through relaxed silhouettes and distinctive color palettes. Anta’s close partnership with Irving for the Paris event not only reinforces its positioning as “a Chinese brand with global expression,” but also underscores its accelerating expansion across the European market. Li-Ning unveils podium outfits for Milan Winter Olympics On October 24, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and Li-Ning jointly unveiled the podium outfits for China’s sports delegation at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Dominated by the colors “China Red” and “Snow Mountain White,” the outfits draw inspiration from Chinese cultural elements and winter sports, accented with golden streamline designs modeled after ski slopes. Through innovation in materials and structure — particularly in heat retention, moisture permeability, and protection — the collection is designed to embody both the nation’s pride and the athletes’ fighting spirit. As Chinese sports enters an era of accelerated development, Li-Ning plans to strengthen its focus on developing professional sports technology and providing full support to the Chinese delegation. People moves Former Adidas executive takes helm of Reebok’s European operations American athletic brand Reebok has announced two major moves: opening a new European headquarters in London and naming Marc Le Roux as CEO of Reebok Europe. Le Roux, a former Adidas executive with over 15 years of experience, has held senior roles across Asia-Pacific, Greater China, brand management, and sports marketing. These steps signal a new chapter for Reebok in Europe, aiming to accelerate retail expansion and strengthen the brand’s performance and product offerings.

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Tradition meets tech: How sports brands lead innovation