Vivienne Westwood’s ASICS GEL-Kayano 27 Colab is Her Edgiest Yet
Influential designer has been regularly collaborating with over the past couple of years. What started as a relatively tame collection of graphic-treated panels and boldly colour-blocked drops back in 2019 has gradually ascended to out-there concepts like . Now, the punk fashion progenitor’s wild ways see the performance GEL-Kayano 27 *Zed voice* ‘bring out the gimp’ and wrap itself in sheer TPU.
Which is hardly surprising, given Westwood’s track record of edgy experiments that dip into the salacious and taboo aesthetics of the fetish world. That’s expressed via the translucent overlays that form a tight-fitting external sock, which supposedly taps into the lurid latex stockings of iconic Westwood collections from the mid-1970s. Access is only possible via the lateral ankle zip – inadvertently giving the colab an unintentional techwear look. There are some blank holes punched into the instep and arch, probably acting as peepholes, but also doubling as much-needed vents. Steamy!
Thankfully, the little-reported world of foot bondage seems to be a comfortable one – at least in the realm of Vivienne Westwood and ASICS – thanks to the new-age GEL cushioning that’s paired to lightweight FlyteFoam midsoles.
Three colourways are available now directly from ASICS and selected boutiques: ‘Vapor’, ‘Citrus’ and ‘Black’.