Footwear giant ASICS is paying tribute to its late founding father Kihachiro Onitsuka with a pair of cheerfully vibrant sunflower shoes. The brand created three yellow-infused silhouettes and launched them across its three brands — ASICS, ASICSTIGER and Onitsuka Tiger.
The motif of the sneakers is not coincidental. The footwear brand was created with the intention "to help people develop a healthy and active lifestyle and, ultimately, be happier." The sunflower not only embodies that but it was also Kihachiro Onitsuka's favorite plant — both because of its bold hues and the ASICS' founder's fascination with the works of Van Gogh.
The collection of ASICS sunflower shoes includes the GEL-QUANTUM 360 KO100, GEL-MAI KO100 and CORSAIR KO100. In addition to the models, each of the three brands launched unisex t-shirts and jersey pants that complement the sunflower shoes.
Cheerful Sneaker Tribute Collections
ASICS Commemorated Kihachiro Onitsuka with Sunflower Shoes
Trend Themes
1. Vibrant Tribute Sneaker Collections - Creating commemorative collections with vibrant and symbolic designs is a trend in the footwear industry.
2. Brand Collaboration in Footwear - Collaborating across multiple brands to create themed collections is a growing trend in the footwear industry.
3. Personalization in Sneaker Design - Offering customizable elements in sneaker design, such as motifs and colors, is an emerging trend in the industry.
Industry Implications
1. Footwear - The footwear industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities through themed collaborative collections and personalization options in design.
2. Fashion - The fashion industry can benefit from the trend of vibrant tribute sneaker collections by incorporating symbolic designs and collaborations into their product offerings.
3. Retail - Retailers can capitalize on the trend of brand collaboration in footwear by partnering with multiple brands to create exclusive and limited-edition collections that resonate with customers.