Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
If you’ve set foot in a major US city over the past few years, you know that Asics has taken over the sneaker industry. Carrying on the mesh runner legacy brought to the forefront by New Balance, the Japanese sportswear brand has constantly evolved its catalog with the help of Bulgarian designer Kiko Kostadinov and his in-house Asics sub-label, Novalis.
The Asics Novalis Gel-Teremoa is a great example of Kostadinov’s unique design approach, creating fabric overlays on the side panels that create a strip of toebox at the front of the shoe that mixes runner aesthetics with echoes of formal footwear. Recent Gel-Teremoa colorways used a jersey material on the side panels, but on the new Graphite Grey Teal colorway, Kostadinov returns to leather, with premium black on the medial and lateral sides and Asics logos embossed into the elevated panels. The rest of the upper is done in a black tactical rip-stop fabric with its classic checkerboard pattern. The teal hits come on the panel surrounding the tongue, the tongue itself, the sock liner, the gel unit in the heel, and the Asics Novalis logo on the side panel.
Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Novalis Gel-Teremoa Graphite Grey Teal
In addition to Kostadinov’s Novalis line, Asics Sportsyle has remained top of mind thanks to a series of high-profile collaborations with the likes of Kith, Up There, atmos, and athletes like Stefon Diggs.
The Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Novalis Gel-Teremoa Graphite Grey Teal will be released through Asics and select retailers in-store and online. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price and release date are still TBD. To keep up with all the latest Asics drops, make sure to download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
