In 1947, in a small town in the French Alps called Annecy, Georges Salomon founded a company specializing in chainsaw blades for woodworking. A few years later, he pivoted to ski bindings — and the rest, as they say, is history. Who would have thought that this Alpine company would, decades later, become one of the most worn brands on the streets of Paris, Tokyo, New York, and Digne-les-Bains? Welcome to the era of Gorpcore, and welcome to the world of Salomon Sportstyle. At Ultimate StreetStore, we've integrated Salomon into our selection to offer you access to this revolution.
Salomon: 75 years of Alpine history
The Salomon brand was founded in 1947 in Annecy, Haute-Savoie. Its founder, Georges Salomon, started by manufacturing saw blades before discovering that his expertise in precision metallurgy could be applied to ski bindings — critical systems that connect the boot to the ski and, if they fail at the wrong moment, can cause serious accidents.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Salomon became a global benchmark in ski bindings. The world's best alpine skiers — Olympic champions, high mountain guides, professional instructors — trusted Salomon bindings for their safety on the most demanding slopes.
In the following decades, Salomon gradually extended its expertise to other disciplines: Nordic skiing, snowboarding, trail running, hiking. Each time, the brand brought the same philosophy: high-performance technical products, designed to meet the needs of demanding athletes in difficult conditions.
Gorpcore: when outdoor invades the city
To understand Salomon's urban success, one must understand Gorpcore — one of the deepest aesthetic trends in streetwear of the last decade. The term "Gorpcore" originated from an American acronym: GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts), which refers to the mix of dried fruits and nuts typically consumed during hikes.
Gorpcore thus refers to the outdoor-inspired aesthetic worn in an urban context: technical jackets in the city, trail shoes in trendy cafes, waterproof pants in art galleries. This trend emerged in the 2010s in New York and London, driven by a generation that appreciates technical performance as much as aesthetics.
In this context, brands like Arc'teryx, Patagonia, The North Face, and Salomon become objects of desire for people who don't necessarily spend much time outdoors. The value is not just functional — it is cultural and aesthetic.
The Salomon Sportstyle turning point: 2015 and the Snowcross
Salomon's shift towards urban lifestyle has a precise starting point: 2015 and the Snowcross shoe. This technical shoe designed for trail running in winter conditions was spotted by the Parisian boutique The Broken Arm, one of the most influential addresses in European concept stores.
The Broken Arm made the Snowcross one of its flagship products, presenting it not as a technical shoe but as a futuristic fashion object, with its aggressive design and high-tech materials. The gap between its original positioning (winter trail) and its new use (urban fashion accessory) created exactly the type of aesthetic tension that avant-garde fashion enthusiasts seek.
The success of this initiative prompted Salomon to realize the potential of its products in the lifestyle market. This led to the first collaborations with fashion designers, specialized boutiques, and influential personalities from the cultural scene. Salomon Sportstyle became a full-fledged line.
Salomon technologies at the service of style
What distinguishes Salomon Sportstyle shoes from simple sneakers with an outdoor aesthetic is that they genuinely incorporate technologies developed for athletic performance. This is not cosmetic — it is authentic technology.
- Chassis: a sole structure that offers stability and underfoot protection, regardless of the surface. Initially designed for uneven trail terrains, it also provides additional cushioning on asphalt.
- Sensifit™: a shoe tightening system that progressively and evenly wraps the foot, eliminating pressure points and providing precise support without excessive compression.
- Quicklace™: Salomon's quick lacing system, developed for trail races where there's no time to re-lace mid-race. A pull tab on the top of the foot allows tension adjustment in one second — practical and aesthetically original.
- Contagrip®: a high-grip rubber outsole, designed for wet and slippery surfaces. Also excellent on wet asphalt in winter streets.
Salomon Sportstyle models at Ultimate
Our selection covers the most striking silhouettes in the Sportstyle range:
XT-6 — the absolute icon
The XT-6 is probably the most photographed Salomon shoe on social media in recent years. Its aggressive silhouette, with its imposing sole structure, layers of technical materials, and often bold colorways, makes it an immediately identifiable piece. It is available in more classic versions (black, white) and exclusive collaborations with sometimes surprising colors.
Speedcross — trail in the city
Born for trail running on muddy terrain, the Speedcross is recognizable by its prominent lugs on the sole — a technical detail that has become a strong aesthetic marker in the Sportstyle range. On asphalt, these lugs do not hinder daily wear but give the shoe a unique visual texture.
How to wear Salomon in the city?
Salomon Sportstyle shoes bring an interesting aesthetic tension to urban outfits:
- Cargo or baggy pants + technical or graphic t-shirt: the quintessential Gorpcore association, where all pieces share a utilitarian aesthetic.
- Straight jeans + sweatshirt or hoodie: Salomon contrasts with the simplicity of jeans to create a focal point for the outfit.
- All-black outfit: Salomon in monochromatic black or white colorways in a single ensemble create a powerful and coherent silhouette.
Find Salomon at Ultimate StreetStore in Digne-les-Bains
Our location in Digne-les-Bains, near the Alps and the Verdon regional natural park, gives a particular resonance to our partnership with Salomon. The brand born in the Alps, worn on our streets in Provence — there is something very coherent in this story.
Find our Salomon Sportstyle selection in our store in Digne-les-Bains and on ultimate-streetstore.fr. For those who want to combine technical performance and strong visual identity, Salomon is one of the best choices on the current market.