We didn’t have “multidisciplinary art and design studio remixes ultra-cushioned trail runners” on our 2025 design bingo card, but we’re so glad it’s here. The just-dropped HOKA x StudioPROBA collab gives a maximalist makeover to HOKA’s most iconic sneakers, transforming them into walking works of art with candy-colored palettes and playful patterns that wouldn’t look out of place in a gallery. Unexpected? Absolutely. Unmissable? Also a resounding yes.
We’ve long admired Alex Proba, founder of StudioPROBA, for her unmistakable aesthetic – a vibrant fusion of color, joy, and pattern that animates everything from pools and tiles to digital art and rugs. Now, she brings that same expressive lens to HOKA’s performance-forward silhouettes, creating sneakers that quite literally walk the walk. “Translating my art from large-scale sculptures and murals to sneakers felt like a natural evolution, especially since my earliest work began on posters and small scale,” Proba tells Design Milk. “My practice has always been rooted in joy, movement, and nature, so bringing that energy to something that literally moves with people made perfect sense. Every line and color wrap the shoe as it would a wall or pool, but here, wear and the elements, mud, sun, and adventure, add a new dimension, turning each pair into a living, ever-changing canvas.”
Alex Proba of StudioPROBA
Proba began the design process by asking herself what emotion she wanted the shoes to spark. “I always begin with the feeling I want to evoke – joy, energy, and movement – and how that can live on something as personal and functional as a shoe,” she reflects. She mocked up patterns on paper and digitally, embracing the challenge of designing for a 3D object that moves. Hidden shapes and organic forms are tucked into curves and creases, revealing themselves as the sneaker moves to life. “Just like my larger works, the magic is in the details.”
The limited-edition collab spans three HOKA styles: the Speedgoat 6, Ora Primo, and Kawana Mid. A youth version of the Speedgoat 6 means even the littlest sneakerheads can join the fun. And Proba hopes they do. “I love that these shoes will collect dust, mud, and stories,” she says. “They’re made to be worn and changed by the world – like a painting that keeps evolving.”
Youth Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
So whether you’re hiking a muddy trail or just power walking in the neighborhood, the sneakers are designed to move with you, with every scuff and speck of dirt becoming a part of your story. Who says art has to hang on a wall?
Youth Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Youth Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Youth Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Speedgoat 6 StudioPROBA
Kawana Mid StudioPROBA
Kawana Mid StudioPROBA
Kawana Mid StudioPROBA
Ora Primo StudioPROBA
Ora Primo StudioPROBA
Ora Primo StudioPROBA
Ora Primo StudioPROBA
To hit the ground running – and in style – with the HOKA x StudioPROBA collaboration, head to hoka.com.
Photography courtesy of HOKA.
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