ASICS and Eldresso, Again.

The parties involved talk about the behind-the-scenes of the second round of the collaboration.

What was the response to the first collaboration released in June 2022 . And what are the thoughts behind this second collection? We spoke with Ryo Ohori, apparel director of ASICS, Takayuki Kigure, shoe director, and Tarzan Aqzawa of Eldresso.

Left: Mr. Ryo Ohori (ASICS Apparel Equipment Management Department), Center: Mr. Takayuki Kigure (ASICS Performance Running Footwear Management Department), Right: Ms. TARZAN AQZAWA (Eldresso Designer)

The response to the first round was more than we could have imagined.

--. First of all, let's talk about the first collaboration. How was the response?

Large moat: The response was far greater than we could have imagined. Immediately after the launch, it became a big topic of conversation, and almost all items were sold out immediately. I have worked for ASICS for a long time, but I have never seen anything like this.

Kogure: It was a tremendous turnout, wasn't it? . both outside the company and within the company. I myself was not involved in this collaboration project at the time, but I was surprised to see the excitement and personally thought, "I want this! I thought to myself, "I want this! I had been a big fan of Eldresso for a long time. I wanted to be involved in the project, so I volunteered to be a part of it.

AQZAWA: The response to the collaboration was great when we first announced it, but it wasn't until some time after its release that I realized how strongly it had been received. When I went to the site of marathons and other events, I saw a surprisingly large number of runners wearing items from the ASICS and Eldresso collaboration.

What you wear at a convention is your "army". In other words, it is the item of the tournament. I was very happy that he chose it for such an important occasion.

Kogure: Nice story. The event is a big deal for the runners . We are happy for them to be able to wear them there.

AQZAWA: Moreover, people who wear them often talk to me. They ask, "Do you have any plans for additional production?" or, "Are there any plans for a second edition?" .

There were many people who had never heard of Eldresso before, and I could see firsthand the expansion of the fan base. This was exactly what we were aiming for with this collaboration, and I am deeply glad that we did it.

Large moat: . The collaboration between Japanese brands has had a great response, both domestically and from overseas.

AQZAWA: Yes. Our overseas customers say, "What the heck is that? We want to handle it too!" We have received many inquiries from overseas customers. It is nice to see a product from Japan being talked about and appreciated overseas.

What is the commitment that goes into the shoes?

--I think a particularly significant topic of the second collaboration is the addition of shoes to the lineup. What made you pick up the S4?

AQZAWA: When the second project started, the "S4" had not yet been announced. The person in charge at ASICS explained to me the concept and target of the shoes, "shoes for runners aiming for sub-4," and I thought it sounded interesting, so I picked them up.

In terms of design, the colors and patterns have been arranged, the names of both brands are placed throughout, and the Eldresso logo is on the laces. The marble pattern on the midsole was inspired by the B-Boy's Composition Note.

Kogure:With the addition of the "Eldresso" arrangement, it has changed a lot from the base model, hasn't it? You could even call it a character change. However, the functionality of the running shoes has not been compromised at all.

AQZAWA: That's right. I had no experience in shoe making, so I learned a lot from Mr. Kogure as I worked to give shape to the project.

Kogure: In the case of regular models, we often create different designs based on the customer's lifestyle, running ability, and preferences, but in this case, we respect the diverse values of our customers and aim to broaden the scope of running. For this reason, we paid special attention to graphics and styling, and we think the design is more exciting than our regular items.

--How about apparel?

Large moat: Since the first version was highly finished and very well received by customers, this second version will also focus on graphic updates for basic items such as T-shirts and shorts.

AQZAWA: As for the shorts, we have lengthened them by about 2 cm. We dared to make them shorter in the first version, but we received feedback that it would be better to make them a little longer. I think this made it easier for more people to wear them.

Large moat: In terms of differences from the first phase, this time we plan to release items in October that can be used for running in cold weather.

. to many people, the fun of running as a culture.

--. Finally, what do you want to convey to users through the collaboration, and what is your vision for the future?

AQZAWA: As I said in our last interview, running is not only a sport, but also a culture for us. Through our collaboration with ASICS, we would like to convey the fun of running as a culture to as many people as possible.

Large moat: Our thoughts are the same. We would like to expand the scope of running more and more, using the attractive design by Eldresso as a starting point. That is what we are thinking.

Kogure: I was involved in this collaboration as the person in charge of the shoes, and it was a challenging experiment for ASICS, as there have not been many performance shoe collaborations in the past. As a result, I am proud to say that we have created something wonderful. I would like to continue this kind of collaboration in the future.