After a two-season hiatus, John Elliott has returned. After taking time to reset, the designer’s eponymous label launched the first delivery of its Spring/Summer 2026 collection yesterday. Continuing that momentum, the brand has announced a new footwear project with HOKA.Introducing the John Elliott x HOKA Rocket X 3. The race-ready sneaker has been reimagined by the two, tapping into Elliott’s Bay Area roots by offering a calm composition inspired by its coastal fog and concrete. While considered through a lifestyle lens, the shoe still delivers key performance elements, from the carbon fiber plate to the single-layer warp-knit upper. In typical John Elliott fashion, branding is kept to a minimum, with HOKA’s bird logo joined by subtle co-branding at the sockliner and outsole.We connected with HOKA’s senior director of global collaborations, Thomas Cykana, as well as John Elliott himself, to explore their alignment, why the Rocket X 3 served as the perfect canvas, and what lies ahead for Elliott’s brand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HOKA (@hoka)What about John Elliott’s design language felt aligned with HOKA’s current direction?Thomas Cykana: John’s unique ability to merge athletic references with his minimalist aesthetic makes him the perfect partner for HOKA. His attention to detail and obsession with quality match ours, but also enable us to take a new approach to branding, print, and color. Shared commitments to function and form make for an ideal partnership.Why was the Rocket X 3 the right canvas for this collaboration?TC: The Rocket X 3 embodies uncompromised speed and peak performance for our consumer. That is the same vision John carries into his designs, making the shoe the perfect contemporary canvas for his unique celebration of endurance sports. Together, we’ve created a shoe that can both perform at an elite level and feel at home within today’s post-modern California style“With this [shoe], we wanted to take something that’s typically bright and vibrant and do the opposite.” – John ElliottHOKA’s DNA is rooted in performance. How do collaborations like this shift the brand’s cultural footprint?TC: This collaboration reflects the evolving intersection of performance footwear and lifestyle culture, effortlessly combining utility, wearability, and self-expression. The John Elliott x HOKA Rocket X 3 showcases that we can do so without compromising the industry-leading performance customers have come to expect from the brand.What did HOKA allow you to explore that you haven’t been able to in previous footwear projects?John Elliott: The answer is really simple — it’s performance.Having the opportunity to work on a true race-day shoe really inspired the team and me to train seriously and go after my first marathon. The Rocket X 3 isn’t just something we designed; it’s something we’ve actually used, putting hundreds of collective miles into the model.It’s been incredibly inspiring, and honestly challenging in the best way, to train this hard and build something that supports that level of effort. That’s what made this different.“This collaboration aligns with SS26 in an important way. It’s a marker that the brand is strong, and it’s back.” – John ElliottYou’ve referenced your San Francisco roots with this design. What specific feeling from the Bay were you trying to channel?JE: For me, the Bay Area has always informed my approach to design. I’ve always been drawn to the more desaturated, gray, almost muted nature of certain parts of the city: the fog, the concrete, the coastline. That’s shaped my aesthetic for as long as I can remember.With this collaboration, we wanted to take something that’s typically bright and vibrant and do the opposite. Ground it in earth tones. There’s a subtle reference to tree camo, but it’s super desaturated and simplified. It feels honest to where I’m from.Your brand has been noticeably selective with its public presence lately. Does this collaboration signal the beginning of a new chapter?JE: This collaboration perfectly coincides with the launch of our Spring/Summer collection. The brand did pause for a couple of seasons, and that pause was intentional. It gave us the opportunity to really get underneath the hood and be thoughtful about why and how we do things.The Spring range is entirely new, from the core of the line all the way through fashion. I’m happy to say the brand is intact — the same core team, the same people — still telling stories the way we always have.So yes, this collaboration aligns with SS26 in an important way. It’s a marker that the brand is strong, and it’s back.For those interested in picking up a pair, the John Elliott x HOKA Rocket X 3 is set to drop on March 6 exclusively via John Elliott. From there, a global release on March 13 via HOKA is scheduled at a starting price of $260 USD.
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