Say Goodbye to Tight and Boring Gear: New Tokyo Brand ONCE Debuts, Even Its Sports Bra Has 5 Pockets
You can dress like yourself while running too~
Summary
- Breaking away from the skin-tight, monochrome look of traditional pro running gear, it brings a fashion design vocabulary into everyday wear.
- Designed with women in mind, offering pieces like ruched details, subtle flared pants, sheer nylon, and ribbed tanks.
- The signature Essential Run Bra Top features 5 storage pockets to minimize bounce while holding a phone and small essentials.
- Thoughtful accessory details, such as visor side pockets designed to secure sunglasses.
With the recent rise of run clubs and community culture, running is no longer just a physical workout—it’s a way to express your lifestyle. But faced with professional gear focused heavily on high-speed tech, performance functionality, and tight, body-hugging cuts, many people feel they lose a bit of their personal style the second they put on workout clothes. Launched in Tokyo in April 2026, the new Japanese running brand ONCE was born out of this exact question: “Can you still dress like yourself when you run?”
Breaking out of the running gear mold
Founder Hikari Minami started ONCE because she disliked traditional performance running gear, which often felt overly tight, stark, and sterile. Shifting away from the classic focus on extreme performance, ONCE centers on merging fashion design with running. Every piece is built so runners can finish a training session and head straight into a cafe or meet up with friends without needing to change, letting activewear naturally become part of everyday style.
Cuts designed with women in mind
To break away from traditional running gear stereotypes, ONCE incorporates feminine tailoring and thoughtful fabric pairings. The brand brings ruched details—often seen in fashion—into performance tops, and moves beyond the usual choice between standard shorts and tight leggings by introducing subtle flared running pants that elongate the legs. Sheer, lightweight nylon fabrics and slim-fit ribbed tanks break the monotonous boundaries of technical apparel, bringing a sense of lightness and romance to every movement while running.
Stylish looks with practical details
Beyond soft visual silhouettes, ONCE delivers thoughtful practicality in its performance details. The brand’s signature Essential Run Bra Top comes equipped with five hidden pockets built right into the garment, so you can safely store your phone, keys, or lip balm while running, with a structural design that drastically cuts down on annoying bounce. Even the running visor features tiny side pockets to securely hold your sunglasses when you take them off. These subtle touches that balance aesthetic appeal with real-world utility make you smile every time you put them on, showing the designer’s deep understanding as a fellow runner.
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