Salomon XT-RIDGE Collaboration with Architect Ma Yansong Reimagines the Sneaker
Salomon partnered with architect Ma Yansong to interpret the XT-RIDGE sneaker through architectural principles.
Salomon has partnered with renowned architect Ma Yansong to reimagine the XT-RIDGE silhouette through architectural principles. The collaboration examines the shoe as micro-scale architecture, translating mountain performance into an urban context with a clean, geometric profile.
Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, stated that both shoes and buildings relate to the human body and require a complete design logic. His practice is known for integrating natural landscapes into urban settings, as seen in projects like Shenzhen Bay Culture Park. This philosophy directly informs the XT-RIDGE’s 'RIDGE STATE' concept, which links mountain trails to the edges of the city. Ma Yansong views his creative process as an undulating line, valuing continuous movement. "I don’t feel there’s any moment where I have to stop," he said. "The overall line is what matters."
The XT-RIDGE’s design translates mountain know-how with a restrained hand. Its structure tucks complex support systems beneath the surface, creating a balance of solid and void. The shoe departs from the XT family's signature exposed SensiFit™ cage. Instead, it employs a layered construction that recalls a modern building facade through its interplay of visible and hidden elements.
Design Innovation Through Layered Architecture
The XT-RIDGE features a groundbreaking layered construction that replaces the traditional SensiFit cage with semi-translucent TPU and technical mesh. This new silhouette branches off the XT family while carrying Salomon's mountain DNA.
The layered upper interweaves materials to create depth. Technical mesh mediates breathability and lockdown. Supportive overlays provide stability while tracing the shoe’s geometric outline, forming a unified whole through visual layering. The ridgeline motif is reworked as a transitional element for both city and trail use.
Urban-Nature Connection in Design Philosophy
Ma Yansong's architectural approach of integrating natural landscapes into urban environments directly informs the XT-RIDGE's conceptual framework. He argues that cities are often too simple and uniform, lacking room for imagination. His work seeks to bring nature into the urban fabric.
This idea is embedded in the shoe's design, which emphasizes the relationship between visible skin and essential systems. Ma Yansong believes that in the city, people yearn for nature precisely because it is so rare there. The XT-RIDGE represents this transitional zone. It is conceptualized as architecture at its smallest scale, with layered materials reflecting structural and natural principles.
Founded in the French Alps in 1947, Salomon initially focused on ski bindings and mountain sports. The XT-RIDGE continues this legacy by adapting performance for new contexts. Ma Yansong highlighted the comfort of the final product, noting its wearability. It’s really comfortable, the kind of shoe you don’t want to take off once it’s on.
