Melbourne’s own Up There boutique is teaming up with ASICS for its very first sneaker collaboration with the Japanese brand. While last year’s Up There x Saucony Shadow 6000 drew inspiration from European travel, the Up There x ASICS GT-II keeps things between Australia and Japan.
For this transpacific collaboration, Up There and ASICS pay homage to their hometowns through indigenous flowers. Representing ASICS is the Japanese Chrysanthemum, the official flower of the Hyogo Prefecture, where ASICS was established in 1949. Meanwhile, the Pink Heath is nominated to represent the Up There’s home of Victoria, Australia.
Both the Japanese Chrysanthemum and Pink Heath take on bold roles to create a distinctive colorway of the ASICS GT-II. The crochet mesh panels are stained with a special Pink Heath dye, making each pair unique, while a dusty grey overlay with sage tones ties the silhouette together. In addition, special detailing can be found with embossed “Up There” on the lateral toe cap, ASICS embossed on the other, and distinctive zig-zag stitching holding the ASICS tiger stripes. To complete the distinctive look, embroidered designs appear on the lateral heels, with Japanese Chrysanthemum on the left shoe and the Pink Heath on the right.
The Up There x ASICS GT-II releases via Up There in-store and online on May 6th. A global release will take place at a later date on ASICS.com and at select retailers.
Up There x ASICS GT-II
Release Date: May 6, 2022 (Up There)
