ASICS Brings Together Seven Boutiques for GEL-CUMULUS® 16 "Tomo" Co-Design

ASICS continues developing the best running products for athletes, but it has also enjoyed popularity thanks to its retro endeavors. For its next ambitious project, the Japanese institution has had a wild idea: What would happen if seven boutiques were brought together to co-design a single sneaker? The result is the GEL-CUMULUS® 16 "TOMO" collaboration.

The global sportswear company invited seven retail partners—Concepts, Extra Butter, Feature, Sneaker Politics, The Whitaker Grp, Lapstone & Hammer, Somewhere—to Boston to have them work on the retro running model. Inspired by the Japanese word for "friend," the "TOMO" project champions collective vision over individuality.

According to participants, no single retailer representative took lead on the ASICS GEL-CUMULUS® 16. Instead, everyone chimed in to the conversation, which resulted in the decade-old shoe clad in a "Cream/Malachite Green" color scheme. Full-reflective mesh underlays, mood ring-inspired gradient overlays, and Kanji detailing round out the collaborative effort.

Enjoy official photos of the newly-surfaced pair ahead. The "TOMO" style releases online and in-store exclusively at all boutiques that form part of the first-of-its-kind project.

For more footwear news, check out the expansive Nike Air Max roster.