_J.L-A.L_ and HOKA launch the new Mafate X Ceramics and trail running come together in a unique collaboration

J.L-A.L and HOKA return to write a new chapter with Mafate X, a project that intertwines the tradition of trail running with the material universe of ceramics. If HOKA’s roots sink into the earth and water, in a physical dialogue with the terrain and its elements, this second collaboration led by Jean-Luc A. Lavelle explores that same origin through a tactile and intuitive gesture: to shape, give form, and transform the earth. The creative path of Mafate X is a study of craftsmanship, of the relationship between pressure and movement, between tools born from topography and traditions passed down through touch. Just as ceramics come to life from mud, clay, and stone to become containers, HOKA silhouettes are transformed into instruments of the moving body.

The two new color variants of the Mafate X – Volcanic Ash and Beluga – draw directly from raw matter, evoking the transformation of natural substance into a functional and poetic object at the same time. To accompany the launch, J.L-A.L invited three artists to create site-specific ceramic works that expand this dialogue, giving a sculptural dimension back to the narrative. The hybrid forms, suspended between geological and anatomical suggestions, move between rock, water, and organic growth. With this project, Lavelle’s brand reaffirms its experimental attitude: a non-linear vision that subverts the traditional codes of menswear to translate them into new design practices, where the boundary between fashion, art, and performance becomes increasingly blurred.