Artistic director of Kenzo, Nigo, has released three colorways of the Asics Gel-Kayano 20, featuring a colorful palette and interesting patterns that showcase the heritage of Kenzo. 

Kenzo

Model: Kenzo x Asics Gel-Kayano 20
Price: S$520
Release date: January 23
Shop: Kenzo.com, Asics.com

Starting the year right, Kenzo has collaborated with Asics on the Gel-Kayano 20 and released three colorways under the creative direction of Nigo. The collaboration sees Nigo, who became the artistic director of Kenzo in 2021, put a colorful spin on the long-distance runners from 2013. 

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What varies amongst the three pairs is the design, with two styles having the functional cage of the Gel-Kayano 20 inspired by Kenzo’s tiger graphics, both with faux fur applied on the upper. One design is presented in a variety of blue, lime green, and orange hues, whereas the other evokes the silver, gold, and white color scheme found in the original Gel-Kayano shoe. The third and last style showcases fresh, vivid colors such as blue, green, pink, yellow, and orange, all contrasted by a neutral white. 

In all iterations, the Asics label appears on the right tongue of the pair, while the Kenzo logo is featured on the left one. Co-branded special packaging rounds out the visual offer. All three pairs feature a two-layer midsole and outsole that utilizes EVA and Gel technology, providing great comfort and stability for day-to-day wear.

The move by Nigo to choose the Gel-Kayano 20 silhouette for this collaboration, rather than the highly sought-after Gel-Kayano 14 or the Gel-1130, emphasizes the potential of the Asics archive. It shows that beyond the popular favorites, many of their retro performance footwear can become lifestyle hits through collaborations and carefully curated colorways.

The Kenzo x Asics Gel-Kayano 20 will be available through a raffle system on January 23 on kenzo.runfair.com, before a wider global release on January 26 through Kenzo stores and a network of retailers.