"An athlete lives many lives outside of sport,” interview with the founders of Minted New York Marcus and Shawn Milione, the minds behind one of the best running brands of the moment

One of the most important sporting events taking place in London during the spring season is the Hackney Half Marathon: not only a major moment for sport and community, but also an event that, after being founded 12 years ago, has become a key platform for countless brands, whether through simple sponsorships or more structured, long-term collaborations.

From Hoka to Saucony, several brands manage to capture attention and, for this year’s edition, Saucony once again chose to collaborate with Minted New York, resulting in what is probably one of the most interesting — and certainly one of the boldest — running sneakers we’ve seen so far in 2026. The shoe in question is the Endorphin Pro 5, featuring an all-over chrome finish that covers every component of the silhouette, further elevated by Minted New York’s signature blue branding.

Alongside the launch, we had the opportunity to interview Marcus and Shawn Milione, founders of Minted New York. Before even being a running-focused brand — although that is clearly the direction they are moving toward — Minted New York defines itself primarily as a menswear brand. A quick scroll through the brand’s Instagram profile is enough to understand the aesthetic journey it has gone through over time: in the beginning, it seemed to follow in the footsteps of Sporty & Rich, but it later managed to reinvent itself through new interpretations, all of them particularly convincing. And that is exactly why Minted New York now stands as one of the most interesting brands in the entire running landscape.

What does the collaboration with Saucony mean to you? How did it come about, and why do you think it creates such a unique synergy?

It means a tremendous amount to us, not only because we have the opportunity to create a running shoe, but also because the relationship with the Saucony team — especially Jason, Moira, and Philo — is something we deeply value. Jason initially reached out to us a few years ago, and since then the relationship has continuously grown: the synergy between the three of them and our team has always been extremely collaborative.

No idea is ever immediately dismissed by the Saucony team, and they constantly give us the freedom to explore concepts that are objectively very difficult to execute. That level of trust and openness is a fundamental part of what makes this partnership so special to us.

We believe Minted New York is one of the best running brands in the world, while also being much more than just a sportswear brand. What is Minted New York in your vision?

First of all, thank you. There are so many running brands out there, so hearing that truly means a lot to us and serves as a reminder to stay focused and keep pushing ourselves to improve. Minted New York is a constantly evolving world. We want to continue pushing the boundaries of our design while also dedicating more energy to refining our products and making them the best possible versions of themselves.

At the same time, we don’t believe a product is ever truly perfect. We will always continue listening to feedback, making adjustments, and exploring better solutions and alternatives whenever possible. As a brand, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on the running side of things, and it’s something we’re excited to continue building on in the future. However, an athlete lives many lives outside of sport and training. We aim to create products that extend into those other moments in an athlete’s life as well.

Are you aiming to create more statement pieces? I genuinely think the base layer and skull cap released last year awakened something different within your audience.

First of all, we’re incredibly grateful for the response those items received. Visually, they represented a direction we had never really pushed our products toward before, so it was surprising for us to see how much the community connected with them.

At the same time, we’re very proud of those garments because they are performance-driven: they meet an internal standard we’ve set for our products. We want to continue exploring the delicate balance between form and function, while continuing to evolve both aspects together.

Do you consider yourselves the best running brand in the world?

We believe in ourselves more than anyone else does, and at the end of the day, that’s what matters most. We’re not interested in making sensational statements just to attract attention or clicks. Our goal has always been to create the best product possible, support our work authentically, and take care of the people who choose to believe in us.

What’s the story behind having Clay Barckholtz design everything? Did you specifically choose him after studying his references and background?

Clay (one of the brand’s lead designers) was the second employee at our company, straight out of college, and from the very beginning his work ethic and attention to detail stood out immediately. We knew we needed someone willing to try anything without hesitation, while also fully understanding the brand’s DNA.

He probably never acknowledges it himself, but he knows how talented he is, and we have complete trust in him and in the level of work he’s capable of producing. Ultimately, as a company grows, the responsibilities you have at the beginning naturally start to evolve. Being able to identify talented people and allow them to focus on what they do best — whether that’s design, operations, or anything else — becomes incredibly important.