Once considered a novelty, designer collaborations — especially with sports brands — have been as ubiquitous as their main releases. Sometimes, they come across as disruptive and irreverent in their clash of brand identities; at other times, they feel disingenuous in spirit, with a mere logo placement or a shift in colourways, and that is it. With the abundance of crossovers, anticipation has become a rarity, as the hype for these releases, if any, can only last as long as they remain on the algorithm. When ASICS announced its first-ever project with Miyake Design Studio (MDS), the HYPER TAPING™︎, a different attitude emerged. As both brands are purveyors of innovation in wearable fashion and share common roots in Japan, an immediate kinship is felt: built on Japanese excellence and the nation’s artistic identity defined by precision, yet rooted in wabi-sabi. Unlike the conventional sneaker silhouettes seen in most collaborations, the HYPER TAPING™︎ takes on the shape of a wrestling shoe instead — its overall design features thick, elastic bands forming the ASICS stripes, resembling a foot wrapped in taping. Men’s Folio engages the ASICS and Issey Miyake team to understand what it takes to bring together a meaningful collaboration.
The shoe, in its sleek, compact form, embodies ASICS’ expertise in sports engineering and Issey Miyake’s creative sensibilities. “We aim to create designs based on an entirely new perspective that has never existed in the history of either brand,” says a rep from Issey Miyake. What ASICS truly excels in is its ability to connect the realm of sport to everyday life through its pursuit to materialise the potential of footwear. At the same time, Issey Miyake champions the intersection of advanced technology and creativity. Rather than calling it a collaboration with mere cosmetic changes, the shared goal between both brands is to create something that blends naturally into daily life, ultimately empowering a freer and more comfortable way of living.
Although it was first unveiled during the IM MEN SS26 show, the HYPER TAPING™︎ was actually not specifically developed for the runway show. “Launched independently as a dedicated footwear project named ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT, the shoes began as an idea conceived by Issey Miyake. With prototypes created by Miyake Design Studios, we refined the concept into fully realised products by combining them with ASICS’ advanced technology and expertise.”
As far as fashion collaborations go, the HYPER TAPING™︎ does not take on the conventional silhouettes of a court shoe or a runner, but instead manifests in the form of a wrestling shoe. Based on the idea of a foot wrapped in taping, the choice of silhouette can be attributed to the shoe’s overall thin profile that keeps the foot close to the ground, giving a strong grip and stability. “By adapting these qualities in a way that fits everyday use, the shoe enables the wearer to feel a strong connection to the ground, while offering the reassurance and comfort needed for daily use,” the rep explains.
The commitment to deliver practical functionality — beyond just aesthetics — can be experienced once the wearer puts on the shoe. A custom mould and insole might not be seen, but are definitely felt, evident in how they embrace the natural anatomy. Rooted in Issey Miyake’s philosophy of “A Piece Of Cloth”, the team has made this its mission to achieve both form and function through a dialogue between material and the body. “In footwear development as well, we carefully considered the relationship between the foot, materials, and structure. Rather than allowing a distinctive appearance to take precedence, we begin our process by exploring how comfort and function can be redefined and advanced.” For both ASICS and Issey Miyake, a custom last shaped in accordance to the structure and movement of the foot, alongside an insole that can support the entire body from the sole were essential elements to materialise a higher level of comfort. “We wanted to not create a design that sacrifices function for the sake of appearance.”
Creating something truly different also possessed its own set of challenges. Proud in the way that ASICS’ craftsmanships was truly present in the shoe design, the Miyake Design Studio and ASICS’ had to strategically consider how the lines, that were positioned as an extension of the ASICS Stripes actively engage with and act upon the foot. “While maintaining the stripes as clear structural point of departure, one challenge was ensuring that the shoe would deliver real functional performance across a wide variety of foot shapes. The structure needed to flexibility follow the movement of the foot, while simultaneously providing firm support and hold. Reconciling these opposing demands within a single construction was essential.”
Albeit both brands, in their usual offerings, share different target audiences with varying needs for form and function, the shared vision to contribute to people’s daily lives through products birthed from innovation and creativity became a common thread that brought the HYPER TAPING™︎ to life. While ASICS’ expertise and technical capabilities in footwear were essential to enabling the structure’s functional performance, Issey Miyake brought a point of view that merges material, aesthetics and the body. Both teams agree that this process of co-development has further solidified their conviction and unwavering commitment towards demonstrating functionality.
Initiated with the question of “How can comfort and function be redefined?” before the considering a distinctive outward appearance, Issey Miyake and ASICS’ were able to forth a solution that offers a new perspective. Evident in the way HYPER TAPING™︎ is introduced, beauty is not defined through its clean lines and visual elements, but rather the parts that are unseen. Through this collaboration, the Miyake Design Studio has gained a new appreciation of ASICS’ commitment in pursuing comfort through its knowledge of sports engineering and development capabilities. Fans can expect a deeper integration of shared expertise from both brands in future releases.
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