Kiko Kostadinov’s Sporty Asics Novalis Gel-Stryax Returns in Argyle Pack

Published August 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM

Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Novalis Gel-Styrax Argyle Pack

Asics just can’t stop dropping heat. The Japanese sportswear brand has been riding a huge wave of stateside success lately, bringing in collaborators from across the culture, building a skate program, and taking over the Y2K-inspired mesh runner wave that New Balance set in motion in the 20-teens.

Bulgarian designer Kiko Kostadinov has been a huge catalyst for Asics hype, designing dozens of colorways, leading the brand’s SportStyle category, and creating his Novalis label within the Asics brand as a way to explore avant-garde styles. Kostadinov’s latest Novalis pack takes on the Gel-Stryax, an open-heel mule designed like a sports car that Kiko first released last year.

The latest two-pack of Gel-Stryax features black bases, but that’s about where the similarities in colorway stop. The orange pair gets a rust and grey argyle pattern, with the model’s massive tiger stripe also orange, covering the entire upper in the Asics logo graphic. On the blue pair, a similar grey and teal argyle pattern puts diamond designs across the upper with a teal logo stretching boldly across the shoe. Both shoes feature a black sole that creeps up in sections and extends into the upper, but the teal shoe gets an extra hit of blue surrounding the visible GEL tech bubble.

The Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Novalis Gel-Styrax Mule Collection was released through select retailers in the EU on August 15, 2025, and is expected to drop globally sometime in the near future. The retail price is set at $250 in men's sizing. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.