Following on from the launch of the UB6-S GEL-KINETIC™ FLUENT shoe, Kiko Kostadinov studio and ASICS SportStyle reintroduce the GEL-SD LYTE™ shoe, a model from ASICS. This revival continues to emphasise Kiko Kostadinov’s creative influence on the in-line product direction.
Initially, the GEL-SD LYTE™ shoe was created as a revolutionary construction concept that would be extended into categories (Performance Running, etc). In 2025, Kiko Kostadinov is bringing the GEL-SD LYTE™ shoe out of the vault to showcase the uniqueness of the ASICS SportStyle archive and the heightened dichotomy of technology and design within a running shoe.
The shoe itself, conceptually, was inspired by the structure of “Egg”, which features a combination of an outer shell and inner membrane to protect the foot from outside environments. In order to build out this concept, ASICS SportStyle designed a shell upper construction by using injected EVA material not only for the midsole but also extending into the entire upper.
The EVA panel that covers the entire upper recreates a unique and iconic design element that has never been seen before in the inline products. By adding a unique embossed synthetic overlay and retro-inspired open hole 2-tone mesh, the Kiko Kostadinov studio builds on this already evolutive shoe, creating a distinctive look with a futuristic aesthetic. Kiko Kostadinov explains his thoughts on the trainer below:
The successful development of GEL-SD LYTE ™ shoeappears to be the hero shape of the season with its cage-like upper. Here, the sole appears to extend upward onto the profile of the shoe, engulfing the two colour mesh – burnished in appearance and abstracting the upper in an orphic cubism, harmoniously relating to the ‘Simultanism’ theme and celebrating the assembly, form, and function of the ASICS trainer.
When revitalising this model, Kostadinov and ASICS looked to optimise comfort for the wearer by updating the FLYTEFOAM™ PROPEL technology compound within the full midsole.
