— Recently — French outdoor brand Salomon has officially unsealed the latest instalment of the ROAD TO THE FUTURE programme at the Anfu concept store in Shanghai, China. This event unveiled the full launch of the 2026 Road to the Future Design Competition. Guest designer Uma Wang joins eight emerging designers to debut exclusive collaborative footwear designs, coinciding with the public opening of the project’s in-store display and official launch of public voting phase. Salomon China brand ambassador Bai Jingting attended the opening event, uniting established designers, cross-industry professionals and industry medias to dissect the evolving trajectory of the emerging boundaries of outdoor and fashion industry. In the future, Salomon will continuously explore the boundaries of outdoor aesthetics through creativities.
[Guest Designer Uma Wang (fifth from left) with eight emerging designers]
2026 ROAD TO THE FUTURE centers on the theme “Archived for the Future”. For the occasion, the store was transformed into a Future Fashion Archive—an immersive environment dedicated to the dialogue between archival design and future-facing creativity. Through immersive installations and interactive experiences, guests were invited to explore the creative thinking behind each designer piece. As part of the event, Salomon China Brand Ambassador Bai Jingting, Guest Designer Uma Wang, and renowned fashion media Jin Qu came together for a panel talk exploring the future relationship between outdoor and fashion industry. The conversation touched on the evolution of outdoor lifestyles, the increasingly fluid boundaries between functionality and style, and the rise of a new generation of Chinese design talent. Through their respective perspectives, the speakers reflected on the changing landscape of contemporary design and the growing influence of outdoor aesthetics across creative disciplines. In a symbolic moment witnessed by industry guests, Bai Jingting cast the first public vote of the 2026 ROAD TO THE FUTURE Design Program and unveiled the launch installation, officially marking the beginning of the public voting period.
Centered on the theme “Archived for the Future”, the project brings together Guest Designer Uma Wang and eight emerging design talents to reinterpret XT-RIDGE and ACS PRO through their own creative perspectives, drawing on Salomon’s mountain heritage and technical design language to create new expressions that bridge outdoor functionality and fashion. For Uma Wang, the project draws from her personal design archive, incorporating the material language developed through the iconic ballet flat series alongside the vintage polka-dot motifs that have become signatures of her work. Integrated into Salomon’s functional footwear framework, these elements bring a distinctive perspective to XT-RIDGE and ACS PRO, creating a dialogue between archival memory, contemporary design, and the evolving relationship between fashion and outdoor aesthetics. The emerging designers Chao Li, GG, Jaden Li, Joyce Bao, Karmuel Young, Kinyan Lam, Sifan Chen, and Zita Tan brought their individual creative perspectives to XT-RIDGE and ACS PRO, drawing inspiration from themes spanning from nature, technology, traditional cultural moments to wild future imaginaries. Together, their works reflect the diversity of contemporary creative practice, demonstrating how emerging design talent can engage with Salomon’s technical design language while expanding the possibilities of outdoor expression through distinct interpretations of “Archived for the Future”.
As an platform dedicated to connecting progressive creative voices from around the world, ROAD TO THE FUTURE continues to explore new possibilities in footwear design while supporting emerging talents on their journey to the global stage. The Design Program represents another important chapter in Salomon’s commitment to cultivating a progressive creative ecosystem and fostering original design thinking. The winner of the 2026 ROAD TO THE FUTURE Design Program will be selected through a combined voting process involving Salomon, industry experts and the public. The Special Jury Panel features Salomon Creative Director Heikki Salonen, Laura Herbst, Salomon China Brand Ambassador Bai Jingting, and Guest Designer Uma Wang, alongside a broader panel of industry leaders, fashion stylists and media representatives. The winning designer will have the opportunity to collaborate with Salomon in the future. ROAD TO THE FUTURE reflects Salomon’s belief that the intersection of functionality and fashion remains one of the most exciting territories for contemporary design, offering endless opportunities for new ideas, perspectives and forms of expression. The brand will continue to cherish diverse design forces and contribute to the ongoing evolution of outdoor designs in the future.
ROAD TO THE FUTURE is both an exploration of future outdoor aesthetics and a living archive that continues to evolve through participation and exchange. From June 6 to June 10, all creative works will be exhibited at the Anfu concept store in Shanghai, offering public an opportunity to experience the creativity and design expression of a new generation of talents up close. Public voting officially opens at 18:20 on June 5 and closes at 00:00 on June 10. Audiences can cast their votes through the Salomon Official Mini Program or at participating at Anfu store. For more information, please visit Salomon’s official platforms.
About SALOMON
Salomon is the modern mountain sport lifestyle brand creating innovative, premium and authentic footwear, apparel and winter sports equipment in the French Alps. We’re more than innovators, we’re futurists. We don’t predict trends, we shape the future. At the Annecy Design Center, designers, engineers and athletes intersect to explore the white space of tomorrow and create the future of sports and culture.
Contact Info:
Name: Elsa Ai
Email: Send Email
Organization: Salomon
Website: http://www.salomon.com
Release ID: 89194772
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