Athletes run the fast catwalk at Paris Fashion Week

CatRace show at Paris Fashion Week on July 2, 2025. Photo by Strava

With the support of creative agency BETC Paris, Strava and Distance launched an event that is both unusual and particularly eye-catching at Paris Fashion Week early this month.

CatRace, the name of the event, is an interesting wordplay between catwalk and race.

"This is an inspiring and daring collaboration, bringing literally 'the fastest fashion show in history'," Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo commented.

Instead of supermodels on the catwalk, the professional sprinters took the spotlight this time. The aim is to bring real dynamism back to sportswear at one of the biggest fashion weeks.

Each outfit was presented by elite runners who sprinted past the audience at a fast pace, simulating the real-life experience of running on urban streets. The event was short but energetic, with athletes sprinting on the runway in outfits designed by stylist Stephy Galvani.

An athlete sprints past the audience during CatRace at Paris Fashion Week, France on July 2, 2025. Photo by Strava

The show, produced by Soldats and directed by Guillaume Allantaz, was designed to be fast-paced. The audience barely had time to get a good look at each outfit as the athletes passed by, according to DesignRush.

But the slow-motion video was posted on Distance’s Instagram, along with a full photo gallery, so fans could watch it again.

According to Mundo Deportivo, CatRace carries a gentle counter-message about the increasing commercialization and fashionization of running. Nowadays, many people enter the track as a place to express their personal style, with expensive or overly elaborate outfits, sometimes losing the original spirit of the sport, which is simple and pure.

The event quickly made a splash in the fashion and sports world, opening up a new direction for specialized brands that wanted to reach the public in a different, more authentic way.