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Shop Report: Inside Thailand’s Sneaker Carnival

Carnival ASICS GEL Kayano 5 360

Carnival have been bringing the sneaker party to Thailand since 2010. The boutique started as a modest outpost for Converse in Bangkok, before growing their following during the prescient days of social media. The lone store later expanded into a multi-brand retailer across six locations.

Carnival’s integral presence in the Thai sneaker scene as the go-to boutique for hot drops and organisers of local swap meets hasn’t gone unnoticed. ASICS recently tapped Carnival for a colab on the GEL-Kayano 5 360 ‘Betta Splendens’ that was inspired by fighting fish.

We caught up with Carnival to discuss the Thai sneaker scene, fighting fish, and how they get their kicks.

The Thai sneaker scene has really picked up in the past few years. What makes it so special?
Thailand has one of the fastest-growing middle classes in the world, so with more people having a greater disposable income, the market is growing at a tremendous rate.

Going back five or 10 years ago, it was quite hard to find people who would spend more than 3000 Baht (approx. $100) on a pair of sneakers, but now things are different.

As sneakers have become more mainstream, it has created a massive growth of sneakerheads and collectors. Our stores get most of the big releases – most of them are sold out within the same morning.

We also hold a couple of sneaker events every year, and it seems like the trend is growing rapidly.

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