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The Asics Comeback

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The Asics Fashion Comeback

Nov 24, 2023

The Asics Fashion Comeback

Thanks to Gen Z Asics are making a comeback. Watch to learn the history and find the silhouette that's right for you.

If you’re ever trying to determine what’s popular right now, just ask Gen Z. Or, even better, check TikTok. Over the past few years, some sleeper brands and trends have experienced resurgences, thanks to Gen Z championing them. (Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, New Balance shoes and loose-fitting denim are a few examples.) 

One of the latest brands that a Gen Z TikToker deemed from “cringe to cool”? ASICS. Here’s a bit about the coolest ASICS shoes, their illustrious comeback (we’ve always loved them!) and a few trending silhouettes you’ll find celebs sporting.

ASICS: A Very Brief History

ASICS: A Very Brief History

Founded in 1949, the Japanese sportswear company started out by creating basketball shoes but quickly expanded to other sports, given the popularity of the performance silhouettes they created. 

Over the decades, ASICS came to be known for their durability and quality, as evidenced by the top athletes who competed in them. And, like many shoe brands that have stuck around forever, ASICS casual shoes became popular, too.

The Ronnie Fieg Effect

In 2009, Ronnie Fieg, the founder of NYC sneaker boutique KITH, collaborated with the brand to create a limited-edition Gel-Lyte III ASICS lifestyle shoe in a “Super Orange” colorway that featured tan suede accents along with an orange and white upper. The shoe was so popular that it sold out, and over the next few years, Fieg released Gel-Lyte V, Gel-Kayanos and Gel-Sight collabs. Sneakerheads went wild. 

When the “Super Orange” shoe was reintroduced in 2023, it immediately sold out. In fact, it was one of the most sought-after ASICS fashion shoe releases of all time.

Riding the Wave of Dad Shoes … Bad Puns Included

Riding the Wave of Dad Shoes … Bad Puns Included

While COVID-19 took many things away, one thing it did really well was push fashion and trends toward even more comfort. Add to the fact that in a time of upheaval and chaos, everyone was collectively looking to the past for nostalgic fashion and trends. And what’s more comfortable or nostalgic than a Dad shoe? 

That’s why ASICS, particularly the running shoes, continued to gain popularity yet again, by blurring the lines of fashion and comfort with their less-streamlined silhouettes and somewhat chunky features. 

The Gel-Kayano 14s, in particular, take a place among Dad shoe honorees that include the New Balance 990v5, Nike Air Monarch 4 and Nike Vormero 5s.

All Aboard the Influencer Train!

There’s something about seeing celebs out in “the wild” or influencers pulling together curated outfits with ASICS platform sneakers or lifestyle shoes. We’ve seen Hailey Bieber with an oversized lime-green sweatshirt, socks and the Gel-Kayano 14s, Reese Witherspoon sporting leggings and a tank with Gel-Kayano 22s on a run, and Prince Harry in the GT-1000 5s for a London charity jog. Ye, Kendall Jenner, the Hadid sisters, Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Drake are all fans of the ASICS shoes as well.

ASICS continues its evolving presence in the sneakersphere. Snag the most non-cringey, coolest ASICS shoes on the market — whether the Nimbus, Cumulus, Kayano or GT-1000 series — at Hibbett | City Gear, or head into one of our stores to see our current inventory of sneakers, including other popular comeback shoes, like the New Balance.

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