Since the relaunch of the Asics Gel-Kayano 14 sneakers three years ago, this running shoe from the early 2000s has earned widespread acclaim. Its popularity is easily understood in today’s saturated market of retro performance sneakers, where the Kayano 14 maintains a dominant presence both online and in real life. Still, the Japanese sportswear giant, Asics, refuses to rest on its laurels. Shifting its marketing focus to a new silhouette, the Asics GT-2160, another archival gem from the recent past, appears poised to make waves in this new year.
The GT-2000 line, introduced by Asics in the 1990s as part of the structured running category, aimed to provide enhanced support for overpronators at more affordable prices compared to the flagship Gel-Kayano series. Much like the Kayano 14, the GT-2160 is a dedicated running shoe. When it initially hit the shelves in 2011, it was promptly recognized for its “rock-steady stability” and “plush cushioning,” dubbing it the Best Shoe in the World that same year.
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A decade later, as Asics HQ contemplated reviving the GT-2160, the brand was already witnessing a surge of interest in what it terms “vintage tech” models, according to Asics Global Product Line Manager AJ Vander Woude. The GT-2160 seemed a fitting successor to the Kayano 14, and the marketing team devised a strategy to anoint it. In 2023, Asics discreetly enlisted fashion-world collaborators to infuse their unique perspectives into the silhouette, mirroring the approach that propelled the Kayano 14 to the forefront of menswear discussions.
Collaborators such as Kiko Kostadinov, Justin Saunders, and Cecile Bahnsen, based in Copenhagen, played a pivotal role. Bahnsen, for instance, transformed the shoe by replacing its laces with floral velcro straps, creating one of 2023’s standout interpretations. Other collaborators, like Montreal’s Dime and Los Angeles-based Gallery Dept., contributed their distinctive touches, showcasing the versatility of the GT-2160.
Predictably, these collaborations were fleeting, but if the trajectory of the Kayano 14 is any indication, they are only the tip of the iceberg. At the tail end of 2023, Asics introduced a variety of general release options featuring coveted colors, including the brand’s signature mesh-silver mix. Even the less hyped versions of the Asics GT-2160 sneakers are flying off the shelves, a clear indicator that the silhouette will be a prominent fixture this 2024.
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Featured image: @this.thing.of.ours/Instagram
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