atmos and ASICS, two powerhouses in the Japanese sneaker space, are reprising their longstanding collaborative series with a new release featuring a theme close to home, this time giving the GEL-Kayano 12.1 hybrid silhouette a new design inspired by an ancient decorative technique.
The sneaker goes by the GEL-Kayano 12.1 “Raden,” named after a Japanese decorative craft originating over a millennia ago, which involves inlaying thin, iridescent slices of mother-of-pearl shell into lacquerware or woodwork. The theme presents itself on the sneaker’s leather overlays, particularly around the quarter and toe, which give off a noticeable geometric blue gleam when spun around at different angles. We’ve also got a layer of glossy paint over the GEL cushioning underfoot, while the rest of the upper shifts into black mesh.
The GEL-Kayano 12.1 is a still relatively new hybrid model featuring the upper of the GEL-Kayano 12 and the sole unit of the GEL-Nimbus 17. The tongue continues to feature Japanese characters for “Kayano,” honoring the series’ foundational designer Toshikazu Kayano.
The raffle for the atmos x ASICS GEL-Kayano 12.1 “Raden” is open now through February 12th (see full details HERE). Retail is set at ¥28,600, which translates to about $185 USD before tariffs and shipping.
