Within the three years since Asics relaunched Gel-Kayano 14the Oz-era operating shoe that earned Olympic-level acclaim and in the end an enormous win Because the official sneaker of GQ 2023.It’s straightforward to see why: the marketplace for retro efficiency sneakers is rising Extra saturated than ever, the Kayano 14 nonetheless looks like a pressure to be reckoned with, and this uncommon It shoe is in every single place on-line and in particular person. As 2024 approaches, the Japanese sportswear large isn’t resting on its laurels. Over the previous few months, it has shifted its advertising focus to a brand new mannequin – the Asics GT-2160, one other traditional mannequin from the not-too-distant previous that now appears prepared to overcome the brand new yr.

Asics launched the GT-2000 sequence within the ’90s as a part of the model’s structured operating class, a line of footwear designed to supply overpronation victims extra assist at a cheaper price than the flagship Gel-Kayano line. Just like the Kayano 14, the GT-2160 is a operating shoe by means of and thru; when it first hit cabinets in 2011, runner’s worldAuthoritative trade magazines instantly acknowledged its “rock-solid stability” and “plush cushioning,” naming it ” greatest footwear on this planet identical yr.

AJ Vander Woude, Asics world product line supervisor, stated that when executives at Asics headquarters started contemplating relaunching the GT-2160 a decade later, the model had already seen a surge in curiosity in its so-called “retro-tech” mannequin. The GT-2160 feels just like the pure successor to the Kayano 14, and the advertising group is aware of precisely methods to specify it. In 2023, Asics quietly recruited a gaggle of style trade collaborators to interpret the silhouette, and the identical strategy helped push the Kayano 14 to the forefront of the menswear dialog.

Collaborate with trade insiders like Kiko Kostadinov Justin Sanders Serving to youthful clients “see these conventional operating fashions in a brand new mild,” Vandervoord stated. Within the case of the GT-2160, these names now embrace Copenhagen designer Cecile Bahnsen, who swapped the laces for floral Velcro straps. Among the finest interpretations of the yr; the ragtag crew of skaters at Dime in Montreal, who styled themselves in various shades of ombre brown. and the Angelenos from the gallery division, who left an virtually untouched silhouette Apart from the signature paint splatter on the toe.

As you would possibly count on, this collaboration did not final lengthy. But when the trajectory of Kayano 14 is any indication, that is only the start. To wrap up the yr, Asics has unveiled a slew of normal launch choices in a spread of coveted colours, together with many who spotlight the mesh silver hybrid the model is thought for. Eventually verify, even the much less talked about Asics GT-2160 model was shifting quick, which is a positive signal you’ll be seeing much more of the silhouette within the new yr. Watch this area.