The Story mfg. x ASICS GEL-TRANSCEND™ FJ is here, and it might be the most wholesome sneaker launch of the year.
Let’s be honest: most sneaker collabs are just two logos on one shoe and a campaign shot in a car park. Story mfg. x ASICS is not one of them.
Story mfg. is run by Saeed and Katy Al-Rubeyi, a husband and wife who somehow made “being kind” a business model. Natural dyes, organic materials, no animal products, and a manifesto that reads more like a life philosophy than a brand deck. So the second round of Story mfg. x ASICS was always going to be a little different.
So, what’s it about?
Rambling. Yes, really.
To ramble is to walk without a fixed destination, to talk a little too much, or to grow in unexpected directions. (Me writing this intro? Rambling.) The idea is moving through the world on your own terms: following your curiosity, doing what you love and not stressing too much about where you end up.
The Story mfg. x ASICS shoe
The GEL-TRANSCEND™ FJ comes in two colourways: black and grey, and a rich brown. It’s based on ASICS’ 1990s hiking and walking archive, with rugged synthetic leather overlays and Story mfg.’s signature check, inspired by vintage hiking blankets.
The sole is where Story mfg. x ASICS gets serious. The jagged outsole is borrowed from the GEL-FujiTrabuco™ 7 trail shoe, so think grip, durability and lightweight cushioning.
And the best review comes from someone you wouldn’t expect:
“The sole is incredible: an aggressive but lightweight tread. It’s so supple and grippy that the blacksmith we photographed reckons he can sharpen 20% faster in them, and asked to keep a pair for work,” says Saeed.
A blacksmith asking to keep the shoes is honestly better than any influencer review.
The campaign
The Story mfg. x ASICS campaign is the part that got me. Drawing on ASICS’ Japanese heritage, it features a forager, a blacksmith, dancers, farmers and cyclists, all photographed in their own environments, doing the things they love.
No models pretending to hike. Just real people, each with their own version of rambling, whether through movement, craft or a deep connection to nature. It’s sweet, it’s real, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from a brand that’s spent years documenting people and their passions.
Wait, there’s a club?
There is. Meet the RAMBLING CLUB: “a community for those who like to walk a little, talk too much and follow their own path.” A club made up, but taken very seriously.
Who wouldn’t want to join?
To get in, you fill out an application form and submit a hand-drawn self-portrait. (My stick figure is ready.) Successful members get a club badge and early access to the shoe before the wider release.
The club opens at Story mfg.’s London studio on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, followed by a New York chapter at Blue In Green on Tuesday 10 November.
Why we need more brands like this
Story mfg. collects its fabric offcuts and reuses them for linings and stuffing. The scraps too small for that are driven down the road and turned into paper for hangtags and packaging. Everything is vegan. The brand believes clothing is skincare, so no toxic chemicals. It also wants to bridge the gap between art and craft, keeping artisan practices alive in places where people have been left behind. And it builds things to last, because “the most sustainable way to live is to buy less.”
A brand telling you to buy less. Imagine that.
This isn’t the first time ASICS has looked beyond the sneaker itself for inspiration. The brand previously explored its connection with the outdoors in ASICS Leaves a Mark in the Japanese Hills.
When can you get them?
The Story mfg. x ASICS GEL-TRANSCEND™ FJ drops on storymfg.com on 11 November, followed by a global release on ASICS.com and at selected retailers on 20 November.
Or you can draw yourself, join the club and get them first. Your call.