Gel-NYC

Celebrating heritage

When ASICS introduced Gel cushioning into its running shoes in 1986, it completely changed the brand’s fortunes, helping its athletic footwear to compete with the cutting-edge innovations of its industry rivals. Since then, Gel technology has been used in dozens of models, with constant updates enhancing its performance to the point where it now stands as one of the most well-respected cushioning materials of the modern era. In 2023, ASICS chose to celebrate this heritage with a brand new silhouette called the Gel-NYC. Its design was based upon popular Gel-cushioned shoes from its archives and drew inspiration from New York; the vibrant city it was named after.

Awake NY

The ASICS Gel-NYC was announced towards the end of 2022, but it wasn’t just the Japanese company that revealed the upcoming launch; clothing brand Awake NY also put out the information. Originally set up in 2012, the New-York-based fashion label was founded by designer Angelo Baque, who had developed a reputation for being a highly inventive creator during a ten-year stint with streetwear label Supreme. Following a successful period as Brand Director, he left to pursue his own endeavours, one of which was Awake NY. Through its creative output, Baque hoped to capture the essence of New York – the city where he himself was born and raised – and present it to the world. For the first few years, he kept the company small, offering limited runs of his stylish apparel, but then, in 2017, the brand began to grow and over the years that followed, Baque opened pop ups in locations such as New York’s Dover Street Market.

A strong foundation

Two years later, in 2019, Awake NY and ASICS partnered up for the first time, working together on the Gel-Kayano 5 360, which turned out to be hugely popular. This paved the way for several other collaborative sneakers, each one supported by the brand’s bouncy Gel cushioning. By 2022, they had become a formidable team, and it was time for them to take the next creative step: designing a new silhouette together. For ASICS, this meant following the principle of ‘a sound mind in a sound body’, which is where the brand’s name comes from, and celebrating the heritage of its Gel-cushioned running shoes. Meanwhile, Baque wanted a model that would honour New York City and reflect the core philosophy of Awake NY by being versatile and appealing to individuals from a range of different backgrounds. Returning to what he called “the essence of where we started with ASICS in 2019”, Baque imagined what kind of shoes kids growing up in urban areas like Queens or the Parisian suburbs would want. This led to a sneaker that could be worn “on the day-to-day” and that looked good “with a suit and a tracksuit”. As such, it needed to be of the highest quality without being too expensive. To achieve this, expert craftsmanship was required, but Baque was confident in ASICS, who he said made “the best running shoes”. His final stipulation was that “New York City was represented in the naming of the shoe”, and thus Gel-NYC was chosen as it encapsulated the two key inspirations behind the model. With these foundational elements in place, the two brands set about designing a shoe that told a story of streetwear and its connection to creativity, New York and the wider culture.

Y2K styling

In order to celebrate ASICS and the heritage of its Gel-based running shoes, Baque and his team delved into the Japanese brand’s archives to see what they could find. They discovered both technical and aesthetic elements that would represent the very best of the Gel series and brought them together on the Gel-NYC to ensure its functional and stylistic prowess. Two early 2000s runners were used as the main influence for the upper, with the Gel-Nimbus 3 the primary inspiration, and the Gel-MC Plus V supplying ideas for the finer details. This resulted in a layered upper with highly breathable open-cell mesh as its base and various curving panels over the top. Made from premium materials such as synthetic leather and suede for a high-quality feel, these overlays reflected the Y2K-era influences of the Gel-NYC, giving it a compelling retro style. Meanwhile, ASICS’ signature wave logos flowed along the flanks, and Gel lettering was woven into the back of the shoe, with another embroidered emblem on the tongue and 3D ASICS text decorating the lateral heel to complete the shoe’s elegant branding.

A cutting-edge sole unit

Underfoot, the sole unit was packed full of technologically advanced features, including aspects taken from 2014’s Gel-Cumulus 16, which was known for its comfortable cushioning. It had a FluidRide midsole that brought together lightweight, shock-absorbing Solyte material with durable, responsive SpEVA foam to deliver incredible support. This was bolstered by visible Gel inserts in the forefoot and heel, which gave an extra feeling of bounce while also producing an eye-catching visual effect. In terms of traction, the split rubber outsole was both grippy and flexible, with a Guidance Line down its centre. Running from heel to toe, this vertical flex groove helped the foot to move more naturally by bending in such a way as to encourage proper forefoot flexion and absorb the stress of each step, thus enhancing fit, improving comfort and limiting foot soreness. Below the midfoot, a flexible, torsion-reducing shank facilitated better stability and control, making the Gel-NYC an excellent all-round sneaker.

Two striking colourways inspired by the city of New York

With its striking blend of nostalgic looks and use of modern technologies, the overall design of the ASICS Gel-NYC represented the best of the old and the new. This allowed Baque to take influences from the dynamic spirit of New York and apply them to the silhouette to create a duo of powerful debut colourways that celebrated his home city. Through their previous collaborations, ASICS and Awake NY had built a reputation for being bold and vibrant in their colour choices, and these shoes were no different. Drawing inspiration from the city’s lively music scene, Baque crafted two distinctive pairs of Gel-NYC sneakers, each with a unique story. The first had a Pure Silver base layer, suede overlays in a rich shade of purple known as Gothic Grape and golden highlights over the sidewall logos and midsole. This powerful combination of colours was a nod to American rapper Raekwon and his 1995 solo album, ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…’. A founding member of the monumental hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon decided to pursue a career as a solo-artist after just a few years with the group, and this 1995 record was his first individual effort. It received widespread praise from both critics and hip hop fans, who consider it to be one of the greatest albums of all time. For his Gel-NYC design, Baque used the colours from the original tape release of ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…’, whose case and cassette were both purple in tone. Another American rapper, Cam’Ron, provided Baque with the idea for his second colourway: the Gel-NYC Teal Pink. This one had the same Pure Silver foundation, with suede panelling in a bright turquoise called Green Blue State alongside pastel pink highlights. The latter colour was a direct reference to the Manhattan artist’s love of pink clothing, in particular paying homage to the fur coat he famously wore during a New York Fashion Show in the early 2000s. Himself a keen follower of fashion and an occasional designer, Cam’Ron has also stated his affinity for turquoise apparel, hence the addition of this shade to Baque’s second Gel-NYC design. 

A successful release

The ASICS Gel-NYC x Awake NY collaborative sneakers were revealed to the world in January 2023 when they appeared on the runway during Paris Fashion Week. Still without a flagship store – this would be opened in New York’s Lower East Side later that year – Baque offered the shoe at a series of pop-ups, one of which could be found on the French capital’s Rue des Francs-Bourgeois; a street known for its high-class fashion boutiques. The Gel-NYC proved an instant success, and numerous general release colourways followed throughout 2023 and 2024. Along with these, Awake NY’s stunning designs inspired other creative entities to produce their own collaborative versions of the new silhouette, resulting in a host of eccentric sneakers.

New partnerships

These collaborations began early in the lifespan of the Gel-NYC, with the initial partnerships occurring just months after the Awake NY sneakers came out. Perhaps fittingly, the first two were with Boston-based clothing retailer Bodega and Japanese brand Fujitaka, which is known for producing high-quality leather accessories. The Bodega shoe was named ‘After Hours’ as it honoured the cities from which both brands hail. Its broad mesh resembled city fences and the design of its overlays echoed the complex connections found in urban infrastructure, while its colour palette of greys and browns evoked faded asphalt and concrete walls, with its vibrant highlights emulating the neon hues of storefront lights after dark. In contrast, Fujitaka’s ‘Imbari Pack’ design featured a more subdued colour scheme of suave navy and other rich shades of blue. It also had a unique lacing system and dynamic stitching effects, giving it a standout look all of its own.

Updates and variations

In 2024, ASICS expanded the Gel-NYC collection with the Utility variation; a more rugged option whose durable and water-resistant features made it great for outdoor adventures. On top of this, the NYC continued to be a popular choice for collaborative partners. ASICS joined forces with fellow Japanese companies like Needles, which designed a stealthy black and purple sneaker, sporty streetwear label ballaholic, whose dapper colourway was coated in lush green suede, yoga-focused fashion brand emmi, with their stylish women’s exclusive offering, and streetwear boutique atmos, whose Blue Topaz colourway was created together with women’s clothing label Lagua Gem. Further afield, American outfits such as Hidden NY worked on original Gel-NYC designs, the New-York-based company producing an elegant white and green sneaker accented with pixelated effects that referenced its online origins, as did European brands like streetwear community Sneakmart. Berlin-based beauty influencer, model, make-up artist and Schwarzkopf brand ambassador Kicki Yang Zhang crafted two vastly different editions, one black with stunning silver highlights, the other a graceful blend of whites and pinks. The Shanghai-born fashion personality showcased the shoes herself in a memorable advertising campaign that saw her consult with a professional stuntman who taught her how to properly fall on her back while trampolining and balance on ropes in order to get the shots necessary to do the release justice. Beyond the world of fashion, popular Japanese anime series Bleach and Naruto received their own designs, each with signature details that referenced characters from the respective shows, making them highly sought-after amongst their passionate fans.

A powerful story

In designing the Gel-NYC, ASICS did something the brand had never done before: worked with another company to forge a completely new shoe. Although its aesthetic was derived from a series of earlier models, the Gel-NYC has its own unique look that, as Baque himself has said, merges “a little bit of new technology with a little bit of older design”. The result is a comfortable sneaker that expresses modern flair but feels as if it has been around for years. As a product of ASICS’ flourishing partnership with Awake NY, it represents the bold style of New York City without losing the sporty edge of old-school running shoes, all while telling a powerful story about streetwear culture and brand heritage.