Brooks is taking its running world off the pavement with Alex Zono, teaming up with the artist for a colourful take on the Ghost Trail 1. Built around Zono’s hand-drawn universe of butterflies, clouds, mountain ridgelines and playful characters, the collaboration turns Brooks’ trail silhouette into something that feels comfortable both on the mountain trails as it does in the imagination.
The project started fairly simple. Zono got the sneakers, immediately took it running, and then booked a trip to Chamonix. Surrounded by some of the most dramatic mountains in the world, the idea for the Trail Jogger began to take shape. The steep climbs, changing weather and huge landscapes became the starting point for two colourways that approach the collaboration from very different angles.
“Well, obviously, the first thing I did when I got the shoe was go running,” Zono says. “Trip booked, and off to Chamonix we went. Because where else do you go to think about your first trail shoe?”
From Chamonix to the Ghost Trail 1
The first colourway, Poppu Red/Potting Soil, takes its cues directly from the mountain environment. Rocks, snow and clouds are translated into the palette, giving the sneaker a more earthy foundation while Zono’s artwork brings flashes of colour and personality across the upper.
The second, Butterfly/Winter/Bonbon, is more personal. Zono connects the colours back to his original hat, an early piece that became a catalyst for the visual language he would go on to develop. The result is a brighter, more playful edition that feels closer to the colours people have come to associate with Zono.
Across both colourways, his DIY approach comes through in hand-drasn graphics, custom butterfly and cloud motifs and small details that make the sneakers feel more like something that has been drawn on and customised.
Co-branding appears across the tongue, sockliner and logos, while a multi-colour outsole add another hit of Zono’s style.
Brooks Takes the Ghost Into New Terrain
The Ghost Trail 1 itself brings the familiar feel of Brooks’ best-selling Ghost franchise into a more adventurous setting. The sneaker is designed for runners who don’t want or can’t choose between pavement and trail, with the idea of moving from roads to gravel and then onto trails without changing footwear.
Soft DNA LOFT v3 cushioninh provides the Ghost’s characteristic smooth ride, while a more trail-focused outsole brings the traction and durability needed for uneven surfaces.
Zomo sums up the idea: “We wanted the Ghost Trail to heko take you from your front door into a world of butterflies, grazing cows and endless mountain trails.”
London, New York and Beyond
The Alex Zono x Brooks Ghost Trail collection will launch first in South Korea of 3 September 2026, supported by a series of community, media and retail activations. The global release follows on 10 September, releasing both colourways to runners around the globe.
The weekend of 12-13 September will then see Zono take the collaboration into London and New York, with community-led events at Knees Up in London and Extra Butter in New York.
For Zono, the project ultimately comes back to the simple reason he started making the sneaker in first place: running. “Really, it’s a ahoe for those who just dig running.”
Brooks x Alex Zono Take the Ghost Trail From the Front Door to the Mountains
