Sole Food: Reebok Is Killing It. Is It Enough to Break Through?

Reebok's on a hot streak with killer in-line releases & stylish collaborations. But is it enough for the brand to have its well-deserved "comeback" moment?

Sole Food is a weekly series built on sneaker editor Morgan Smith's takes on the biggest topics in sneaker culture.Reebok is killing it right now. Honestly, the nearly-70-year-old brand has been pushing really good sneakers and collaborations for the past few years. So, where is Reebok’s big moment?I’ve seen a few sneaker commentators say that Reebok is currently “cooking” with its recent releases. But no one has said the magic words: “Reebok is back.” Or even “so back.” It’s because, truthfully, the brand isn’t back — yet. But it’s making all the right plays to set that up.Reebok is quietly nailing today’s biggest crazes in its own clever way, introducing its own sleek flat ballet sneaker and an elegant Club C loafer hybrid earlier this year. In August, Reebok released a brown suede Classic Mule and Slide sandal, essentially sporty Birkenstock-coded easy-on shoes that were also genuinely good-looking. Although those were a regional-exclusive — stateside folks were begging for a wider release — Reebok’s buzzy throwback collaborations are international crowd-pleasers. The revived G-Unit G6 and BBC Ice Cream Board Flip sneakers were smart linkups that sold out because they correctly checked the nostalgia-craze box. Meanwhile, the brand debuted luxuriously buttery Freestyle Lo sneakers with Parisian fashion house Celine in September.And that’s just 2026. The new year promises even more Reebok bangers, displayed in a Spring/Summer 2027 preview overseen by Evan Belforti, the label’s principal footwear designer. The SS27 collection includes luxe Spike Racers, suede-covered Hammer Pros, and techy Premier Ultra mules. All of this Reebok stuff is cool. It’s just not quite cool enough to move the broader needle. Good things take time. Reebok is making all the right moves, but the world has to make the next one. It happened with Saucony, which basically stayed its course while doubling down on intentionality about partnerships in the era of money-grab sneaker collaborations. Soon, folks woke up and smelled the Saucony flowers. Now, it’s the best-selling sneaker brand on StockX.Reebok is moving far beyond its lane with stylish suede clogs, Y2K-y sneaker-mules, and archival trail models, footwear that’s not only good but on-trend. It’s doing a lot in the best way, but it has to keep that momentum while also distinguishing its wares. If you build good sneakers, they will come. Or however the quote goes.Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit HS Shopping for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.