Guide
These 3 brands are so much better than their frumpy image
by Stephanie Vinzens
3 cool sneaker brands you’ve probably never heard of
5.3.2025
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Everyone and their mother knows Adidas, New Balance and the like, and everyone and their mother wears them. If you want to stand out, here are a few brands that are less well known but just as stylish.
The sneaker industry can be quite uninspiring, with Adidas and Nike on every corner, lots of New Balance and Asics, more and more Puma, and Salomon and On Running shoes here and there. But there are so many other options if you dig a little deeper. Here are three great brands that you may not have heard of yet, but that you should definitely check out.
1. Karhu
2. Gola
Hearing the name Gola probably won’t ring a bell. But a glance at the British brand’s iconic shoulder bag might make a light bulb go off in your head.
The Gola bag was extremely popular in the 70s and remains so to this day. But the brand’s speciality since it was founded in 1905 is, in fact, football cleats. So, it’s no surprise that today, with their sleek retro football look, Gola’s casual sneakers fit perfectly into contemporary fashion.
3. Norda
Header image: Norda
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
Guide
Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.
Show all
