# Cheerful Sneaker Tribute Collections ASICS Commemorated Kihachiro Onitsuka with Sunflower Shoes By Kalin Ned | Published 2018-05-17 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunflower-shoes References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/399683/ASICS-Honors-Founder-Onitsuka-s-100th-Birthday-With-His-Favorite-Sunflowers/) & [corp.asics](https://corp.asics.com/jp/press/article/2018-05-16?utm_source=DesignTAXI&utm_medium=DesignTAXI&utm_term=DesignTAXI&utm_content=DesignTAXI&utm_campaign=DesignTAXI) 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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.9/10 - Popularity: 28% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Vibrant Tribute Sneaker Collections:** Creating commemorative collections with vibrant and symbolic designs is a trend in the footwear industry. - **Brand Collaboration in Footwear:** Collaborating across multiple brands to create themed collections is a growing trend in the footwear industry. - **Personalization in Sneaker Design:** Offering customizable elements in sneaker design, such as motifs and colors, is an emerging trend in the industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Footwear:** The footwear industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities through themed collaborative collections and personalization options in design. - **Fashion:** The fashion industry can benefit from the trend of vibrant tribute sneaker collections by incorporating symbolic designs and collaborations into their product offerings. - **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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Nature-Inspired Collaborative Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ub10s-gelkayano-20.md) - [Retro Pastel Tonal Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skyhand-shoes.md) - [Bold Patterned Luxurious Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelds-trainer-14.md) - [Dynamic Aqua-Tonal Joint Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelkayano-20.md) - [Heritage-Honoring Technical Sneaker Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/earls-collection.md) - [Japanese Workwear-Honoring Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelkiril-3.md) - [Neon-Tinged Technical Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelsekiran-1.md) - [Coquette Hybrid Sneaker Sandals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelquantum-360-viii-2.md) - [Iconic Anime-Inspired Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gelnyc-2.md)