Despite not being the first pick by more modern sneakerheads, Asics has managed to hold onto relevance in an adherence to their core silhouettes, at times pulling from the Japanese brand’s deeply rooted history. Though receiving high praise by way of their performance models, the tiger laden flags have previously crossed the feet of many at the peak of the retro runner craze. 2018 proved to be the most interesting year, however, as notable designers and retailers entered the fray with a complete upheaval of what is usually expected in terms of collaborations.
While the Japanese sportswear brand’s relative decline from its apex can’t really be denied, they’ve been able to grab our attention with some much-awaited re-issues and perhaps the most underrated collab-based capsules of the year. Could their strong finish spell out a much more promising 2019? With footwear trends still firmly entrenched in the 90s runner aesthetic, the brand needs to maximize its sweet spot to regain their once potent grasp on the shoe game.
