Originally born in the French Alps in 1947, Salomon has built its reputation on precision engineering and innovation — creating footwear and gear for those who live to move. In recent years, that same performance DNA has found new life in the world of style, inspiring the brand’s global Sportstyle movement.
Unlike brands that may mimic the “techy” aesthetic, Salomon’s credibility runs deep. Every shoe is functional and refined into form. This was more evident than ever at Archive’s First Thursdays launch event — streetwear meets sportstyle, and Cape Town got to witness it.
From the moment guests stepped into The Archive Collective Store on Bree Street, they were greeted by the vibrant ceiling screen flashing visuals of the Salomon XT-Whisper Void — the night’s hero.
As the crowd gathered, DJs Zahara, Mila, and Solo set the tone with soulful, kinetic sets that carried through the room like motion itself. Guests floated between the nail bar by Lala Wangempela, the customisation lounge, and curated installations — each touchpoint designed to let personality take shape. Free graphic T’s designed by Shaun Hill for anyone who left with new kicks.
It was a celebration of movement — of trail runners, designers, explorers and creatives who see no boundary between the mountain and the city.
The XT-Whisper Void reinterprets Salomon’s early 2000s trail-runner, the XT-Whisper, through a modern, unisex lens. Sleeker overlays, refined lines, and iridescent colorways give the shoe a minimalist yet expressive identity. It’s a design that feels futuristic and functional — a nod to the brand’s alpine roots, recoded for city life.
All imagery courtesy of Studio Rigraphy
Salomon’s tagline for the model, “Style whispers, personality echoes,” encapsulates the night perfectly. The shoe may whisper in form — light, technical, and graceful — but its presence on Bree Street that evening echoed loudly through Cape Town’s creative scene.
According to Lee Besnard, General Manager of Salomon South Africa, “Sportstyle represents the evolution of Salomon’s philosophy, authentically bringing our mountain sports heritage into the language of modern design. Cape Town’s unique balance of outdoor lifestyle and urban creativity perfectly reflects values that sit at the core of Salomon’s brand identity.”
That authenticity resonated throughout the launch. The event felt like part gallery, part street gathering — a cultural moment that mirrored the city’s rhythm.
Globally, Salomon Sportstyle has redefined how performance footwear fits into modern life. Silhouettes like the XT-6 and XT-Whisper have become icons, seen on Rihanna, Bella Hadid, and DJ Khaled. The Cape Town launch marked the first time this movement officially touched African soil, giving local sneakerheads and creatives a front-row seat to the brand’s next chapter.
Through Salomon Sportstyle, the brand continues to blur boundaries between performance and style, the summit and the street. The XT-Whisper Void embodies that idea: born on the mountain, refined for the city and designed for those who move differently. Salomon has struck a beautiful balance that few performance brands pull off and Archive held the perfect platform for it to be unleashed.
The XT-Whisper Void is available exclusively at selected Archive stores, www.salomonsports.co.za and www.bash.com
All imagery courtesy of Studio Rigraphy
ABOUT SALOMON
Founded in 1947 in Annecy, in the heart of the French Alps, Salomon is a world leader in outdoor sports innovation. The brand designs performance footwear, apparel, and gear that transform the experience of movement — helping people unleash their best selves through outdoor sport and culture. Today, through Salomon Sportstyle, that same spirit of exploration finds new expression in the worlds of design and everyday life.
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