Athletic Propulsion Labs

APL is the American company whose first shoe became famous for being banned by the NBA, and it built its reputation on innovative performance technology with a luxury finish. If you want a TechLoom sneaker that's as much about style and comfort as athletics, that's the appeal. Worth is subjective and premium-priced, so it comes down to whether you value the brand's design and innovation story over a more conventional athletic shoe.

The APL Concept 1, the company's first shoe, included eight compression springs designed to add vertical jump height for the wearer. In 2010 the NBA banned it from all league functions, including games, for providing an undue competitive advantage — the first time the league had ever banned a sneaker model for performance reasons. Many NBA and WNBA players reportedly bought the shoes anyway.

APL was founded in 2009 by identical twins Adam and Ryan Goldston, and is based in Los Angeles. They started the company while they were students and athletes at the University of Southern California. That athlete-founder origin is central to the brand's performance-first identity.

Beyond the headline-making Concept 1, APL is best known today for its TechLoom sneakers, the knit-built performance and luxury footwear the company has produced since the Concept 1 era. The brand specialises in sneakers and has expanded into performance and luxury apparel over time. The TechLoom family is the everyday face of the label.

APL has two flagship retail stores: one at The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, opened in 2019, and one in SoHo, Manhattan, opened in 2023. Its products are also sold through retailers including Nordstrom, Selfridges, Net-A-Porter, Shopbop, Lane Crawford and Harvey Nichols, so you have both direct and department-store options.

APL has notable fans across entertainment and sport. Sofia Richie and members of the Kardashian family are fans of the shoes, Oprah Winfrey named the APL Lusso Slides to her 2021 Oprah's Favorite Things list, and John Cena has been seen in APL sneakers at WWE events and public appearances. The brand has also partnered with gymnast Nastia Liukin on limited-edition sneakers.

It's genuinely both. APL began with a performance breakthrough — the spring-loaded Concept 1 — and continued to produce performance footwear, but it has also positioned itself in luxury apparel and the high-fashion retail space, stocked at stores like Net-A-Porter and Selfridges. That dual identity, athletic technology with a luxury sensibility, is what sets it apart.

APL's knit TechLoom uppers are known for a snug, sock-like fit, so trying a pair on or checking the brand's sizing guidance is wise before you commit. Because the construction hugs the foot, your usual athletic-shoe size may feel different here. When in doubt, buy from a stockist with an easy exchange policy.

Yes — APL is the official footwear partner for Red Bull Racing, and Formula One driver Sergio Pérez has been seen wearing the company's sneakers. That partnership reflects the brand's lean toward high-performance, high-profile sport beyond its basketball origins.

APL pairs proprietary innovation — most famously the banned-by-the-NBA Concept 1 — with luxury positioning, selling alongside designer labels at retailers like Selfridges and Net-A-Porter. The combination of a genuine performance origin story, Los Angeles design, and high-end distribution is what places it at the premium end of the market rather than with mass-market athletic brands.