HOKA and Tanner Fletcher Take Summer's Ballet Sneaker Trend to New Heights for Fall

Nothing puts new sneakers to the test quite like a trial-by-fire at New York Fashion Week. Tanner Fletcher seemingly got the memo: The brand's Spring/Summer 2026 runway show on September 15 included a sneaker collaboration—its first ever—with none other than HOKA. Meet the Bondi Mary Jane, a chunky ballet sneaker hybrid bound to take street style by storm.

Co-founders Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell have historically relied on vintage shoes for their shows. Still, something was always missing from the secondhand selection: "We have a really hard time finding vintage tennis shoes!" Kasell admitted over Zoom a few days before the show.

As a result, "All of our looks, even the casual ones, have dress shoes," he says. "It’s usually fine, but sometimes we're like, 'Oh, we really need a sneaker here.'" Enter: HOKA. "It was perfect timing, honestly."

In the Bondi Mary Jane, the iconic Bondi sneaker's original maximalist design wasn't completely abandoned. It was just enhanced for the fashion crowd with a leather upper, metal hardware and mesh detailing, and laces that let you choose your own adventure with the styling. The two colors—all black and a pink-and-red combination—toed the line between being bold and being wearable in everyday life.

In many ways, the Bondi Mary Jane is all about balance. "Maintaining a formality while remaining casual is really important to us," Kasell says.

"This is the perfect marriage of HOKA's identity as a brand that makes things you never want to take off, and then mixing that with styles that are on-trend, fashionable, and cool," adds HOKA's Director of Design, Lifestyle, Chris Hui. "We wanted the shoe to feel genderless and really reflect where we see culture and our lifestyle and the fashion community moving."

Those symmetries were on full display within the Bondi Mary Jane's debut show. Set in an unfurnished apartment, it featured the two designers alongside a series of movers wearing the HOKA Bondi Mary Janes, white overalls, and hard hats. Models clad in the label's latest collection and carrying household items like vases, umbrella stands, and pillows, strutted around them as they unpacked under the guise of an unexpected last-minute family visit. The designers' real-life families joined them on-stage at the finale.

The vintage-inspired, romantic Tanner Fletcher classic house codes were all present, taking shape in lace slips, gingham tops with ballooning puffed sleeves, expertly tailored three-piece suits, and pastel-hued knit tops. Sportier notes like nylon track pants and, of course, chunky HOKA sneakers, were sprinkled throughout. In the end, the show itself was a whimsical, playful break from the fashion week norm that contrasted high fashion with high comfort.

The style will officially debut on HOKA website in both the cherry-red and all-black colorways on October 1. Until then, I'll be mentally preparing my outfits: They'll definitely look more balanced with this sneaker in the mix.