Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies.
Email: nick@soleretriever.com
When Up There steps to the design table, you know you’re in for a treat. The Australian-based retail storefront became a household name in the footwear world with the Backyard Legends project with New Balance on the 2002R. Since then, they’ve partnered with others in the sneaker industry, including Asics, who tapped them for a Gel-Lyte III and Gel-Terrain in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Before we close out 2025, Up There has just announced its latest project with Asics, this time working on the Gel-Kayano 12.1.
First introduced as part of a Kith collaboration in June 2024, the Gel-Kayano 12.1 combines the upper from the Gel-Kayano 12 with the tooling from the Gel-Nimbus 17. Both models were off shelves for years before Fieg and his Kith brand helped revive the sneaker. New Kith pairs dropped in October 2024 and June 2025 before Asics GR’d the sneaker this past summer.
Up There x Asics Gel-Kayano 12.1 Natsukashii
As for Up There’s take on the hybrid sneaker, the Australian boutique takes inspiration from the Japanese term “Natsukashii,” which describes the feeling of happy nostalgia and fond memories of the past. This is thoughtfully played out by adding some new elements from other archival Asics models, like the Kayano 20 and Gel-Kinsei 4. The grey mesh used on the base is pulled from the Kayano 20, while the interior lining of the sneaker comes from the Kinsei 4.
The forefoot flex zone is redone, as Up There swaps the flat graphic for a mixture of mesh and fused TPU. The rest of the sneaker is coated in olive green synthetic leather. Finishing details include an upside-down Up There tag on the lateral heel, pops of red on the nylon lace loop, a co-branded insole, red, green, and black details on the outsole, and a custom co-branded box.
The Up There x Asics Gel-Kayano 12.1 Natsukashii will be released on October 9, 2025 via a raffle exclusively at Up There. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $201. Check below for images of the collab sneaker, and download the Sole Retriever mobile app for real-time updates on the release of Up There’s Kayano 12.1.
