On has been on a run lately and, on June 6, the Swiss footwear label really hit its stride by announcing a multi-year link-up with Zendaya.

Zendaya's partnership with On doesn't feel like another random celebrity product endorsement because she already puts On, well... on. Instead, what's happening here is that On is going to let Zendaya cook. We're talking collaborative footwear designs and future sportswear collections developed by both of these parties in what we imagine to be a secret design kitchen in the middle of Switzerland.

Zendaya is, famously, a fan of On's plush sneakers, frequently seen wearing On's casual sneakers throughout the press tour for Challengers, her tennis-themed summer flick.

Really, any brand looking to up its fashion game would be vying to collaborate with Zendaya, what with the actress her stylist Law Roach historically dominating red carpets with headline-smashing looks. This Zendaya partnership is On actually keeping pace within the lifestyle footwear race.

Though Zendaya is not an athlete, this does not mean On has lost sight of the ball. Tennis gawd Roger Federer is still heavily involved with On and unveiled THE ROGER Pro 2, his second signature On tennis shoe in May 2024, for instance, so just because On is collaborating with celebrities doesn't mean it has stopped producing performance-focused, footwear worn by real athletes on-court.

So why can't On serve some looks during the off-season? In fact, that's likely core to On's new direction.

The Zendaya collab comes shortly after On announced a similar link-up with FKA Twigs in April 2024. The British musician is set to redesign On's chunky Cloudtilt sneakers and model its September 2024 training collection.

Perhaps the most misplaced comments about celebrities partnering with sportswear brands on social media fall in the vein of "HoW is A CelEBRiTy an AtHLetE?"

Thing is, whether you wear On sneakers to go on multi-hour shopping sprees in downtown New York or to run a marathon, today's consumer is always in some semi-active pursuit that an On sneaker is well-suited for. On is clearly angling for its sneakers to become the daily drivers that we wear for morning bodega runs, evening jogs and everything between.

Zendaya's link-up with On only shows how much it's evolved beyond a mere running brand (and dadcore favorite) into a purveyor of legitimate cool. If this sort of thing still gets you heated, please go for a cooldown jog.