RISK & REWARD – THE COLLABORATIVE JOURNEY OF KIKO KOSTADINOV AND ASICS
When towards the end of last year, ASICS announced that Kiko Kostadinov will continue to work closely with the brand, it was both a testament to the success of their run of collaboration sneakers and the inception of a novel designer-brand-cooperation approach.
Kostadinov and his team [including womenswear designers Laura and Deanna Fanning] will advise, consult, and curate the ranges of the ASICS SportStyle division. They will also contribute at least ten new silhouettes across menswear and womenswear lines. The first model resulting from his new partnership, the UB1-S Gel-Kayano 14, was received quite well already.
“From day one, ASICS showed an openness and willingness towards the new ideas and new directions that the Kiko Kostadinov design team presented to them. Their trust in our vision is what has made this partnership such a success. We are deeply honored to be building further on this partnership with this new developmental initiative. It will allow us to integrate deeper within the ASICS brand, beyond relying on yesterday’s models of collaboration – affording us the space to approach our work through a more considered filter, with an eye towards tomorrow.”
This new form of partnership goes even one step further than the ubiquitous “popular designer x established sneaker brand” business model. Now Kostadinov has an even broader influence on whole ranges beyond high-fashion constraints instead of applying their design skills to only one silhouette every six months. Also, they can build shoes from the ground up and develop new silhouettes. For ASICS, the appointment represents treading new paths as well. Until a few years ago, the Japanese company did not allow many outside designers to work on their product, let alone creating new sole units [more on that later]. To understand how Kostadinov earned this kind of trust and responsibility, we have to look back on the timeline of co-branded Kiko Kostadinov x ASICS shoes. That body of work demonstrated that taking risks with talented, young designers can pay off greatly.
The collaborative relationship between ASICS and Kiko Kostadinov as a whole is one of the few examples of a sneaker company working with a fashion designer on new performance silhouettes instead of retro shoes that were considered state-of-the-art performance footwear a few decades ago. It is not about tapping the cultural relevance of some “personality” and capitalizing on their “authenticity” necessarily, but rather about exploring the possibilities of modern sneaker design alongside Kostadinov’s design ethos. “I want to do things that help me live in the city. [...] I’m not saying you need to have a hundred pockets as that’s a fictional function, but it needs to be really comfortable and interesting” Kostadinov once stated about how he approaches his work.
He was allowed to create unique new silhouettes - granted, first by combining components from different contemporary ASICS shoes - instead of just composing a new colorway for a model which the brand wants to promote. The only thing off-limits at first was a completely new sole unit. ASICS is still developing its own soles - a process that takes up to three years. [Spoiler alert - eventually, they created a new sole unit together.] Apparently, the success of their collaborations took both ASICS and the designer slightly by surprise. “We didn’t have any expectations and I’m not even sure how many people at ASICS knew about it. I think most thought it was not a real long-term collaboration,” he stated in an e-mail exchange with i-D in 2018. In a comparatively bold move by ASICS, the young designer was hired right after he graduated from Central Saint Martin to execute the very first ASICS designer collaboration at the time. He delivered sneaker designs in a deliberately sophisticated fashion context with an exceptional sense for colorways.
GEL-Burz 1
With the whole “normcore” and “dad shoe” trends being on a downwards trajectory recently, it is probably hard to imagine that the GEL-Burz 1s had quite a novelty factor to them when they appeared on sneaker news sites in 2017.
As with all Kiko Kostadinov x ASICS shoes, they were inspired by the themes and color palettes of the brand’s main collection from the respective years since they needed to fit into its narrative. For this first project, the main motives of the coinciding runway show were already set. Kostadinov and his team allegedly had to design the shoes in just forty minutes. That means sending mock-up prototypes to Japan and including the next sample round in the show shortly after.
Kostadinov designed this new silhouette by meshing together elements of other ASICS runners. There were over 200 shoes available to pick from with various components each. According to Kiko, the selection process was simply about “sensibility and taste” in the end. The GEL-Burz 1 is the result of those choices. It borrowed elements from the GEL-Nimbus 20 and the GEL-Venture 6. The upper also features an additional transparent PU layer. The multi-layered sole unit got equipped with FlyteFoam as well as GEL cushioning.
GEL-Burz 2
As the name indicates, the GEL-Burz 2 release can be seen as a direct sequel. Kostadinov’s twist to the GEL-Nimbus upper is also featured on his second GEL-Burz. Here it is represented as an additional patch of leather and contrast stitching instead of a transparent PU layer as in the previous iteration. According to Kiko, the collection these were designed for was “more about color.”
Apparently, the “terracotta,” “forest,” and “seafoam” colorways were directly inspired by pottery. If you are to find a pair of either GEL-Burz today, be warned that resale prices for them have gone quite astronomical because of a sparse number of shoes in comparison to a steadily growing Kiko Kostadinov cult-following.
GEL-Delva 1
Kostadinov’s second unique silhouette for ASICS was assembled from different components of multiple running models as well. The complexly layered, elastic, and coated Duomax upper was borrowed from the GEL-Fujitrabuco 7, while the heel cage came from the GEL-Kayano 24. Comparing it to the GEL-Burz, the GEL-Delva is quite slim and seems a little more “lightweight” if you will.
The silhouette itself looks more like a contemporary running sneaker than a shoe designed with a “fashion sensibility”. The [mostly] vibrant colorways, on the other hand, are where Kiko applied his competence and talent. The excellent “Tai-Chi Yellow” would probably be considered a little out of place on a track and the “Cool Mist” and “Rosewood Brown” combinations could be difficult not to mess up in any serious running scenario. A total of six colorways was released in separate packs of three. This was also the first ASICS x Kiko Kostadinov collection that included complementary apparel pieces.
GEL-Sokat Infinity 1 & 2
After two successful running silhouettes, Kostadinov and ASICS got a little more experimental with the GEL-Sokat Infinity line. The second version is a mid-cut, basketball-inspired shoe featuring a big-webbed mesh upper and an extended tongue.
The eye-catching heel cage was taken from the ASICS Dan Gable Ultimate - a performance-shoe designed for wrestling matches. Looking at it from the perspective of a sneaker enthusiast in the classical sense, this might be seen as the weakest effort out of the Kiko x ASICS timeline. The warped out upper applications and their proportions create quite a strange silhouette [a little clown shoe-ish if you want to be cruel].
Its predecessor, the GEL-Sokat Infinity 1, could fall in similar disfavor with its glossy and artificially candylike colorways, but its refreshingly unusual inspiration is a significant point in its favor. The sneaker itself is influenced by running and Tug of War [“gerra sokatira” in Basque]. The heightened ankle protector is a design element that was specifically developed for the sport. It references the ASICS Tsunahiki 109 which features a raised side to provide sufficient support during Tug of War games.
The asymmetrical silhouette also has a mesh upper with synthetic overlay panels as well as a full-length, translucent GEL midsole unit borrowed from the GEL-Quantum Infinity. The shoe was released in three colorways and had a strong accompanying campaign shot by Frank Lebon.
GEL-Nepxa
Coming in at peak experimental, the GEL-Nexpa kind of looks like a mixture of boxing boots and those neoprene shoes some surfers wear. Very hard to pull off and not for everybody, but definitely an intriguing eye-catcher in a mostly homogenized sneaker market. Kostadinov once said in an interview with GQ that “having bad collections” can be important sometimes. “I don’t want to make a bad collection—but let’s say unexpected or unsuccessful.”
Not to say that the GEL-Sokat and GEL-Nexpa experiments were “bad” necessarily. They probably ended up on the sales rack in most stores. Nonetheless, they were are a needed exercise in the trajectory of Kostadinov’s sneaker design approach. It is laudable, that ASICS allowed him to get a little more out there and take risks like those. Also, in the coming years, the GEL-Nexpa might blossom into a “cult-status” fan favorite for a specific audience of tech-wear enthusiasts with a fashion affinity or vice versa - think the organiclab.zips and Constant Practices of the world.
GEL-Korika
After a little excursion into slightly more alternative shoe design, the GEL-Korika returns to the running aesthetic that inspired the first ASICS x Kiko releases. After designers Laura and Deanna Fanning were appointed to head the womenswear line for the Kiko Kostadinov label, they also worked on the GEL-Korika.
Starting with the upper of the GELBURST RS - a high-top basketball silhouette - they trimmed it down to create a low-top runner and combined it with a GEL-Nimbus sole unit base and an extra FlyteFoam midsole layer. Laura and Deanna Fanning composed excellently vibrant colorways for the women’s sizes, while Kiko opted for more toned down, monochromatic silver and black iterations.
The GEL-Korika was promoted by a quite offbeat campaign that was shot [and modeled] by Juergen Teller. Just like Kostadinov was granted creative freedom by ASICS, he offered creative freedom to the famed photographer. They simply sent the shoes to Teller, who took them along on vacation and shot them in his characteristic random-seeming and humorous style.
“The idea was just to give him the shoes, and he could do whatever he wanted with them. There was a little brief for it, and we asked if he can be in the photos. But apart from that, we were not at the shoot – we don’t know when he shot them, we don’t know much. We didn’t ask, because it doesn’t really matter”
GEL-Kiril
After proving himself with several re-interpretations and hybrid constructions, ASICS went kind of all in with Kiko Kostadinov. They allowed him to work on his own unique performance model and sole unit as the first outside designer ever.
The GEL-Kiril is the result of an in-house development process that took about 18 months. It features a multifaceted upper that combines a tightly knit mesh base and a latticed overlay pattern with shiny patent leather panels. The actual highlights are the elongated AHAR outsoles extending onto the toebox. They are composed of circular traction templates and flower-shaped nub-patterns. GEL cushioning and FlyteFoam round off the running-inspired silhouette. The high-contrast colorway choices of “Ice Mint” and “Cilantro” demonstrate all the patterns and material choices really well.
Kiko Kostadinov also released a fascinating and artful short film alongside the announcement for the GEL-Kiril. It was directed by Tommy Malekoff and shot in Bulgaria, displaying several of the country’s traditions and customs.
GEL-Aurania
The Gel-Aurania is one of those women’s exclusive in the ASICS x Kiko Kostadinov lineup that should have been released in bigger sizes as well. Some elements of the upper were taken from the SKYSENSOR Slash JJ, while the midsole’s cushioning unit comes from the GEL-QUANTUM Infinity.
Big ASICS spiral logos were placed slightly laterally under an asymmetrical lacing system and atop a mesh base which is complemented by multiple patent leather overlays.
GESSIRITT II & GEL-Teserakt
After the GEL-Aurania came two further women exclusive silhouettes with the GESSIRITT II & GEL-Teserakt. Both are either comparatively quite far “out there” - in the case of the GESSIRITT - or simultaneously too bland and too big somehow. Their overall proportions seem marginally distorted. The Kiril outsole unit and the remarkable heel paneling of the GEL-Teserakt are probably the most appealing and interesting components to be found here. Other than that, the rather generic GEL-FRANTIC 6 upper in a pearlized metallic leather version honestly was not too exciting.
GEL-Glidelyte III
This super detailed runner is Kiko Kostadinov’s take on the beloved ASICS GEL-Lyte III for the occasion of the model’s 30th anniversary in 2020. Again, as its name and the jigsaw puzzle campaign imagery suggest, it is a hybrid of different ASICS silhouettes. The wedge-like sole was taken from the ASICS GlideRide while major parts of the upper, like the iconic split tongue, come from the GEL-Lyte III, of course. Other puzzle pieces include a GEL-HOCKEY TYPHOON 2 heel overlay and PU sectioning across the upper reminiscent of the GEL-NIMBUS 5. With 2020 just being unfortunate timing for an anniversary rollout, the GEL-Lyte III celebrations might have flown under the radar for some – sadly, including this bold iteration.
GEL-Kiril 2
For their final collaborative release co-branded as “Kiko Kostadinov x ASICS”, the designer created a follow-up model to his first unique ASICS silhouette. The GEL-Kiril 2 combines a new FlyteFoam sole unit with a breathable mesh upper and an elasticated lacing system underneath a velcro strap. ASICS tiger stripes stretch around the toebox and a tiny spiral logo adorns the top of the tongue panel. All in all, a more than worthy conclusion to one of the most interesting ongoing collaborations in the sneaker space.
Overall the project injected creativity and a highly welcomed newness into a product segment that mainly dwells on re-releasing decade-old silhouettes. Maybe it helped that Kostadinov is not a “sneakerhead” worshipping 80s and 90s basketball shoes but rather approaches sneaker design with his own, homegrown, and unique aesthetic sensibilities. Of course, some of the resulting models were not as lauded as others. But again, that inherently comes with trying to accomplish something new and taking design risks - a proposition that unfortunately seems to be rather foreign today.
UB1-S GEL-Kayano 14
The first new model resulting from this evolved form of collaboration with Kiko Kostadinov as a curator was the ASICS UB1-S GEL-Kayano 14. As the name suggests, it’s Kostadinov’s approach to the GEL-Kayano 14 - with the same sole unit and a similar pattern structure on the upper atop a mesh base, complemented by synthetic leather patches and elongated pull tabs. The advertised “Retro Futurism” claim is also manifesting in three colorways which look like they have been heavily inspired by Blade Runner color palettes.
HS1-S Tarther Blast
Being part of ASICS’ global “Engineered for Everyday” campaign, the HS1-S Tarther Blast comes with a lot of mass compatibility. It looks a little bit like a more generic takedown version of the ASICS NOVABLAST aimed at a very young sneaker audience instead of performance-oriented runners or the high-fashion crowd. After all, one of the main goals of the Kostadinov-curated styles is to “reach as many people as possible”. Considering this benchmark, the usage of recycled material scraps on parts of the synthetic leather upper is a nice touch though.
FN1-S GEL-NIMBUS 22
Similar to the UB1-S GEL-Kayano 14, the FN1-S GEL-NIMBUS 22 trainers are Kostadinov-approved colorways of a contemporary ASICS running silhouette - they also come with the same elongated tongue pull tabs. So we have a similar approach but more vibrant colorways with silver and chrome heel tabs that would fit better into My Hero Academia than Blade Runner – another interpretation of “Retro Futurism” maybe.
FN2-S GEL-CONTEND 5
The FN2-S GEL-CONTEND 5 released in a women’s size run and maybe the shoe of all of the Kostadinov curated models so far, that would have been most fitting for the co-branded collections. Especially the “Beet Juice” colorway [what a great name for a color] would not seem too out of place on some fashion week runway. They come with both AMPLIFIAM and GEL cushioning and are also partly made from recycled materials.
HN1-S GEL-VENTURE 7
This slightly more sustainable approach is also quite fitting for the trail runner look of the excellent and very timely HN1-S GEL-VENTURE 7, which is kind of a hybrid creation again. It combines the sole unit and upper paneling of the GEL-VENTURE 7 with elements from the GEL-KAHANA 8 on the heel and the toebox. The colorways bring back memories of the GEL-Burz 1 and GEL-Delva what makes them perfect for people who like to wear functional clothing strictly for aesthetics as well as seriously outdoor-focused Instagram pages like 114.index. Expect to see these a lot on your favorite gorpcore mood boards for at least the rest of the year.
X BRAINDEAD?
In early April, Kiko teased a possible triple name collaboration with ASICS and Braindead. While no information is released at this point, our hopes are high for the young Bulgarian designer’s first triple name collab.
About the author:
Moritz Lux has an enthusiastic curiosity for anything that carries substantial creativity or cultural significance. What started with skateboarding, cinema, and music, has expanded to the clothing industry, contemporary arts, and Japanese culture.
