If you’ve ever looked for some sort of outdoor gear, chances are Salomon has crossed your radar. No matter if you’re all about trail running, love to ski or even just looking for a reliable pair of sneakers, the brand has made a name for itself. But what you might not know is that it has a rich history that stretches back over 75 years, all the way to the French Alps.
Salomon has always been a brand that feels tied to the spirit of the mountains. Born from a desire to create something that elevates the entire experience of being in the wild, it was in 1947 when François Salomon and his son Georges set up a shop in the small town of Annecy, in the French Alps. What began as a small family workshop crafting ski edges quickly grew into something much bigger. With a mission to create the best equipment for those who lived in and for the mountains, they were crafting something that would one day redefine how athletes interacted with their gear. From those first steps, Salomon would grow into a name that is now synonymous with mountain sports, technical innovation and street style.
10 years later, in 1957, Salomon took a leap that would set the stage for a new wave of gear. Introducing the “Skade” toe piece for ski bindings, a game-changer that revolutionized skiing, making it safer and more efficient. This was just the beginning of a continuous pursuit to push boundaries. In the following years some more iconic pieces shaped Salomons history. By the late 70s, the brand entered new ground with the SX90 ski boot, and by 1980, the SNS Nordic Boot and Binding System made Salomon an unquestioned leader in the world of winter sports.
As a brand that was born in the place it’s most needed in, Salomon understood that having a deep connection to its environment was more important than anything. Apart from continuously creating better products, it was also about creating a better experience that shaped how athletes and, everyone else who chose to rock some Salomons, moved through the mountains.
And as the brand grew, Salomon didn’t stay in one lane. In the 1990s, the brand made its mark in footwear, designing shoes built for performance and durability. In 1991, Salomon’s Monocoque ski design introduced yet another new approach to skiing. The '90s saw the brand take on snowboarding, inline skating, and free skiing, making it clear that their vision wasn’t just limited to one sport. Early on, they also already explored summer sports proving their gear could handle more than just snow. In 2002, Salomon officially entered the world of train running and hiking with the release its iconic XA PRO shoe. It was designed for grit, longevity, and performance, and therefore quickly became a household name in the outdoor world, trusted by those who needed a shoe that could stand up to anything.
Years later, in 2005, Salomon launched the S/LAB range, followed by the introduction of the XT-6 trail shoe in 2013 pushing their commitment to high performance even further. Salomon has always crafted products by combining elite craftsmanship with feedback from the best athletes in their fields. These products were crafted alongside athletes like Kilian Jornet and François D’Haene, who were pushing the gear to new extremes.
But even with all this focus on performance, Salomon was always looking ahead, thinking about the bigger picture. In 2019, they opened their Advanced Shoe Factory 4.0, a state-of-the-art facility that uses new robotic technology to produce gear that’s as sustainable as it is high-performing. In all aspects, at Salomon it's all about creating gear that lasts, performs and would help protect those very elements for generations to come.
By 2022 (and to this day), Salomon had evolved into way more than just a performance brand. It has become a cultural touchstone for all things outdoors. The XT-6, once strictly a trail shoe, has now made its way onto the streets, becoming a hyped sneaker streetwear. The brand had long been a staple in the mountains, but now, has firmly rooted itself in global cities, from Paris to New York.
As the official Premium Partner of this year's winter games in Milan, Salomon’s influence continues to grow. Their legacy is shaping the future on the slopes, on the trail, or in the streets. Salomon remains a brand that’s driven by one thing: the relentless pursuit of better.
