As a fashion content writer I am interested in the collaboration of performance, creativity and a strong sense of identity. That is exactly what I found appealing about the latest collaboration between South African designer and runner Alex Zono and American running brand Brooks.
Zono has reinterpreted the Brooks Ghost Trail in his own visual language for this collaboration, producing a two-colourway footwear collection inspired by running, nature and the landscapes around Chamonix. The release also marks Zono’s first footwear collaboration and the first with a major performance brand.
Zono launched his eponymous label in Cape Town in 2022. His work has been focused on creating expressive pieces that are relevant to the running culture, not only for the runners but also for the communities and spectators around the sport. The label had gone global by 2025, with stockists including Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford, Melbourne’s Up There Athletics and Los Angeles’ Renegade Running.
Inspired by mountains & movement
What I find really interesting about the collaboration is how Zono takes his personal esthetic and turns it into a performance shoe. His signature imagery of butterflies, clouds and mountain ridgelines are splattered throughout the design giving the Ghost Trail a more artistic and lifestyle feel.
There’s also a personal story behind the color palette. Zono went to Chamonix to experience trail running first-hand while developing the shoe. The surrounding mountains, rocks, snow and clouds became references for one colorway, while the other draws inspiration from the colors associated with his original Alex Zono hat.
I really like this approach, because the collaboration does not only consist of a running shoe as a technical sportswear. Rather, it links the product with a sense of place, exploration and personal experience.
Brooks continues to explore trail running
The collaboration comes at a crucial time for Brooks as the brand continues to grow its footprint in trail and off-road running. Brooks’ trail shoe sales rose 71 percent in the first half of 2026, and the company had 14 percent revenue growth in the same period, according to FashionUnited.
The Ghost Trail takes some of the elements of Brooks’ popular Ghost road-running franchise into more varied terrain. It has DNA LOFT v3 cushioning with trail-ready traction and durability to handle routes that take you from roads to gravel to trails. The shoe also has a TrailTack Green rubber outsole and 3mm lugs.
As a fashion content writer, I see this collaboration as a reflection of the blurring lines between fashion, outdoor culture, and performance wear. Today’s consumers are increasingly seeking products that perform well, but also express a certain lifestyle or esthetic.
The Alex Zono x Brooks Ghost Trail feels like a good example of that change. It combines the technical base of a running shoe with the visual storytelling of an independent designer from Cape Town.
That’s what’s interesting about this collaboration to me, it’s not just slapping a designer’s name on a sneaker. Running culture, nature, personal memories and modern fashion are merged into a single wearable design.
Reference: FashionUnited, “Alex Zono takes Cape Town’s DIY running aesthetic global with Brooks debut,” September 7, 2026.