In Barcelona, running is no longer just a sport; it has become a form of expression. Tapping into this cultural shift, Swedish retail giant H&M Move chose the city for the global launch of its new technical running collection, featuring a discussion with Pepa Salazar, the acclaimed designer behind Catalan superstar Rosalía‘s iconic ‘Motomami’ era.
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The ‘H&M Moves Barcelona’ event took place at the historic Los Tinglados warehouses in the port of the La Barceloneta neighbourhood. It brought together a mix of creatives, athletes, and key figures from the city’s burgeoning running scene. Together, they explored how the discipline has evolved from a solitary exercise into a collective phenomenon blending style, wellness, and digital culture.
A Cultural Shift on the Pavement
The choice of Barcelona reflects a wider trend. According to the global trend forecasting platform WGSN, online mentions of ‘run club’ have increased by 26%, often linked with terms like ‘style’ and ‘performance’. This signifies a fundamental change in behaviour, where community and aesthetic are as important as personal bests.
The launch event began with a 5K run featuring some of the city’s most active running clubs. A panel discussion then followed, moderated by DJ Martha Pazienti, founder of the Tempo London Running Club. Designer Pepa Salazar and content creator Alex Boisset, known for his work at the intersection of running and digital media, featured on the panel.
Speaking to the audience, Boisset drew a clear parallel to another urban sport that became a cultural movement. “It’s not a ‘trend’, it’s a change of behaviour,” he asserted, as reported by El Periódico. “It’s like skateboarding, but healthier.”
Fashion, Discipline, and ‘Motomami’
Pepa Salazar, dressed in a black H&M Move outfit complemented by matching clogs instead of trainers, offered insights into the connection between body, discipline, and creativity. “I do Pilates, I lift weights, I run… In the end, sport is an escape valve, an almost meditative hour for you,” she explained. “And you exercise a lot of discipline, which is something very important.”
This philosophy directly informs her approach to fashion, which prioritises comfort and versatility. “I make a lot of clothes for women that are comfortable, because in the end, with the pace of life we lead, it’s fundamental,” Salazar added, noting how the lines between sportswear and daily wear are blurring. This trend is also reflected in other Barcelona-inspired collections.
Her work with Rosalía, particularly during the globally successful ‘Motomami’ period where she designed key visual elements, reinforces this idea of constant evolution. Salazar expressed her admiration for the artist’s current aesthetic, stating, “Each artistic stage implies a different visual language, as icons like Madonna have already done, who built their own universes in each phase.”
The Collection: Technical Meets ‘Soft Luxury’
H&M Move positions its new collection at this crossroads of culture and performance, designing it for the modern hybrid consumer. The collection aims to support runners through marathon season and everything that surrounds it, from training to daily life.
The garments feature high-performance materials like DryMove™, a proprietary fabric designed for breathability, lightness, and durability. The brand has focused on sensory details, with a feel described as ‘pure silk’, and functional design elements. These include smart compartments for gels and phones, anti-chafe seams, soft materials to reduce friction, and reflective details for safety.
The collection embraces ‘soft luxury’ and technical minimalism. The women’s line features a palette of neutral colours mixed with soft tones like blush pink, amazonite blue, and butter yellow, while the men’s collection uses black, grey, and stone. With prices ranging from €19.99 for basic items to €59.99 for technical jackets, the collection offers a functional and design-led option for a broad audience. It is available in Spain from 19 March and launches globally on 26 March.
