What were you doing last Friday on the 21st September 2018? For ASICS, it was an important day. They were celebrating their “Century’s Milestone” of its founding father, Mr Kihachiro Onitsuka!
Hosted by celebrity Jamie Teo, the event was specially held at the Work+ Store Ang Mo Kio event space. Not to mention, local familiar faces such as Kelly Poon, Dasmond Koh, Chantalle Ng, Zong Zi Jie, Shaun Chen, Bonnie Loo, Jae Liew, Joi Chua and Kimberly Chia were also seen at the event!
While the guest are being settled down, the soothing sounds of jazz melodies performed by the String Quartet as they walked through the many KO100 installations. They had to opportunity to got up-close with the collections and the uniqueness of having a common theme across all three brands.
There was an area where it was showcasing Mr Onitsuka’s rare archival shoe pieces from the early 1953 on display for the very first time outside Japan. These display were also a way of paying respects to his legacies he left behind.
Despite his busy schedule, Mr Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer, Senior GM of ASICS Institute of Sports Science, took the liberty of flying all the way from Kobe to visit the event in honour of its founder and the history of ASICS.
During the event, the new unifying sunflower-theme KO100 series was introduced and this was what Mr Harano had to say:
Mr Onitsuka believed that sunflowers were the perfect symbol to inspire Japanese youth to regain their pride after the war: just as the sunflower always faces towards the sun, young people should stand tall and face their bright futures straight on.
As ASICS trade mark was based on comfort and design, the inclusion of bright oranges and yellows sunflower pattern on the shoe was a way of Mr Onitsuka showing his love for the artist Vincent van Gogh. Therefore, they represents an inspiration for people to live a happier and healthier lives, at the same time telling people to take control of their fates the same way that the sunflower reaches for the sun.
The juicy part is yet to come!
Mr Harano leaked first hand information insights into the brand’s special technological innovations, hinting what is to come for the brand in the future with revealing the next generation prototype model of spikeless sprint shoes. ASICS prototype introduces a new patented technology with a complicated design of hollow, cylindrical shapes made with proprietary carbon fiber material to aid runners into excelling further.
Throughout the evening, guests were seen having a good time by enjoying an impressive hip hop performance by local crew, Legacy Dance Co. The crew was dancing their hearts out to the musical stylings of DJ Lincey and the guests were all intrigued by their performance.
As fun as the event can get, it eventually have to come to a close. Everyone that attended the event gets to walk home with an exclusive ASICS KO100 tote bag filled with thrilling goodies including a grow-your-own sunflower seed pack, to bring the sun back into their homes.
What do you think of the new ASICS KO100 Series? Would you get them in the future?
