By: Alexis Tshangana
ASICS has teamed up again with Kiko Kostadinov Studio to launch the UB10S GEL-KAYANO 20. This collaboration celebrates the art of shoe-making by blending craftsmanship with modern design. The sneakers are inspired by the rust-like qualities found in traditional Mino glazes. These sneakers capture the beauty of imperfection and natural designs.
Building on the continued success of the forward-thinking partnership between ASICS Building on the continued success of the forward-thinking partnership between ASICS and Kiko Kostadinov Studio, they will resume their curational series for Spring/Summer 2024. The UB10-S GEL-KAYANO™ 20 sneaker draws inspiration from the themes of Interlaced Assemblages, Functional Utopias, and Mino Ceramics.
Soft textures are combined with the idea of handcrafted elements found in iconic artwork. By creating matte and washed color appearances, the design team was able to enhance the heritage running shoes’ archival shape and construction. Contrasted with grid-like patterns and bold opaque colors, the Functional Utopia inspired variations apply direct correlations with nature.

These glossy primary colourways are offset with metallic structures accentuating the double-layer mesh materialization.
The designers also explored Mino ceramic influences by investigating the contemporary processes of the rust-like qualities that appear in Mino glazes. This process looks to imagery as a vessel with degraded colors that have the ability to stand the test of time.

The new UB10-S GEL-KAYANO™ 20 in Hunter Green/Jade and Glacier Grey/Lavender Grey are available at Shelflife, Lemkus, Archive & Sneaker District and online at BASH.com