Whether Onitsuka Tiger or Asics is the more popular brand depends on who you ask. Ask a runner like me, and I can tell you more about Asics footwear than I can about the former.
But it was Onitsuka Tiger that gave birth to Asics. In 1949, its founder Kihachiro Onitsuka made his first Asics shoe in his living room in Kobe, Japan, under the Onitsuka Tiger brand.
He was committed to promote youth health through sports and science, and so the Onitsuka Tiger stripes became synonymous with sports performance. He established Onitsuka Shokai, which was later reorganised as Onitsuka Co. Ltd.
In 1977, Onitsuka changed its name to Asics, an acronym for anima sana in corpore sano, or Latin for "a healthy mind in a healthy body". Onitsuka Tiger disappeared as a brand, but its popularity exploded, mainly in Europe, so it was re-launched as a fashion brand in 2002.
JAPANESE FLAIR
Onitsuka Tiger Company Southeast Asia regional director Ryutaro Maruta says the brand continues to carry Japanese heritage with modern flair. Its famous Mexico 66 walking shoe, for example, is a staple in many people's wardrobe.
Customers love the shoes so much that the brand has several tiers of footwear, differentiated by pricing and workmanship. The entry level Mexico 66 cost about RM369, and a premium edition would fetch a few hundred ringgit more. They retain the same cut and style, but with improved fabrication.
But hardcore Onitsuka Tiger fans would go for the high-end Nippon Made, fully crafted in Japan. Nippon Made's Mexico 66 is beautifully made with full leather insole, costing over RM1,000.
"We have customers who really love the brand. If you are accustomed to walking in the Mexico 66, you would want a better version of it that is made better, for better comfort," he says.
Maruta was in the city last month to launch the brand's flagship store at Pavilion Elite, taking over the prime space once occupied by Rimowa.
"It took years for us to be able to clinch this space," he says. "Physical exposure is important, because buying a product is about the experience of stepping into an inviting store and the service it delivers."
Maruta says online business kept the company going during global lockdown in the last two years, but it's not the same as the business in physical stores.
Last September, when stores reopened and restrictions were gradually lifted, "people walked in and they really shopped", he says, cementing the need to have an immersive, interesting and welcoming store.
COMFORT COMES FIRST
Maruta says the pandemic has emphasised the need for comfort, at home or outside.
"We expect this trend to remain, and we hope more customers will enjoy the Onitsuka Tiger aesthetics, which offers great comfort without any compromise on style," he says.
"The brand offers products and experiences to customers who are timeless, ageless and borderless. We offer a wide range of categories from Contemporary Collection, Heritage Collection, and the Nippon Made series, which showcase the marvels of Japanese craftsmanship to the world, to a dress shoe line called The Onitsuka."
Apart from its popular sneaker collections, the new flagship offers a comprehensive range of ready-to-wear apparel.
"We hope consumers will discover these head-to-toe Onitsuka Tiger style options at our Pavilion boutique, so they can experience and enjoy the most from our brand's offerings."
He says the brand's ready-to-wear line is also gaining strong interest from consumers.
"We have presented our collections in Milan and Tokyo Fashion Weeks and generated significant awareness through our flagship stores and celebrity dressing. We've observed a positive uptake on our ready-to-wear line, and more customers associate our products being both luxurious yet accessible."
YEAR OF THE TIGER
As part of the Lunar New Year celebration, the brand launched Year of Onitsuka Tiger project, made of products with a tiger motif, created in collaboration with a few artists.
The brand has collaborated with legendary Japanese illustrator, designer and model maker Yasushi Nirasawa, known as the genius of heteromorphy.
The special collection features two creatures called the OnitsukaTiger Man in blue and red with patterns inspired by the Onitsuka Tiger Stripes. The brand also commissioned Takayuki Takeya, a figure modeller, to create the OnitsukaTiger Man figure, displayed at its flagship store in Omotesando, Tokyo, and at other locations.
