Footwear label ASICS introduces its latest GEL-Saga collaboration -- this time, the brand joins forces with the talented designer and artist Vivienne Westwood. The Japanese brand highlights its heritage in the new iteration as the GEL-Mai and Kayano 5 receives an artistically informed update.
The uppers are entirely simplistic, with a clean white base constructed from premium leather materials. There is a touch of contrasting detail at the heel but the area that hits the spotlight is actually at the bottom of the sneaker. The outsole features a translucent finish to unveil the image that lies beneath it. The bottom showcases a renaissance-style visual and to round out the sneaker is a tag at the medial side of the heel area that reads "CHAOS."
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Artwork-adorned Sneaker Designs
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore collaborations between footwear labels and artists/designers to create unique and visually appealing sneaker designs.
- Heritage-inspired Sneaker Iterations
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Combine heritage and contemporary elements in sneaker designs, such as using premium leather materials with artistically-informed updates.
- Translucent Outsole Finishes
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Introduce translucent outsoles in sneakers to showcase hidden images or designs for a visually engaging experience.
Sectors Adopting This
- Footwear Manufacturing
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Collaborate with artists/designers to incorporate unique artwork into sneaker designs, attracting a wider consumer base.
- Fashion Design
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Merge fashion design with sneaker manufacturing to create innovative and aesthetically appealing footwear options.
- Retail and Fashion Merchandising
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Curate exclusive artist collaborations in retail stores to create unique selling propositions and increase customer engagement.
