The ASICS GEL-QUANTUM™ ZIENTZIA by Kiko Kostadinov is one of the year’s most highly considered collaborations. Paying homage and inspired by the ethos of the ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS), it’s main commitment is to stay true to “human-centric science” whilst working with unique materials to design “intelligently”. It highlights the ISS’s iconic ASICS BLUE colour palette and leans heavily into material explorations and proportion play on the iconic ASICS stripes.
The ASICS GEL-QUANTUM™ ZIENTZIA by Kiko Kostadinov optimises and enhances the experience for the active lifestyle consumer. Built from the GEL-QUANTUM™ LEVITRACK silhouette, the GEL-QUANTUM™ ZIENTZIA borrows the unique two-part scutoid GEL™ Technology sole for shock absorption. The re-enforced heel provides the wearer with performance level support and is built for excellent comfort.
Photographed in the ISS building in Kobe, Japan, the ASICS GEL-QUANTUM™ ZIENTZIA by Kiko Kostadinov is seen in its element – worn by life-long members of the ISS team including researchers, developers, and designers. The resulting campaign images give us a peak behind the curtain, shining a light on the inner workings of the iconic building.
On a personal level, can you guys tell us who you legends are?
We are 3 brothers with parents from Indonesia who grew up in Perth Western Australia and in a household surrounded by art in all forms from visual arts to music. Our father was a professional visual artist and the creative world was not foreign to us so it was inevitable for us to bring these elements into the brand Aether Care.
Do you guys still remember what sneaker or event that got you hooked into the community?
Adam: aka: Radam Royce The sneaker that got me hooked on sneakers was the Nike Air Max 1 OG sport red back when I was working at Footlocker. The event that solidified my love for sneakers and streetwear was Carbon festival back in 2014 and was created by Acclaim Magazine. The festival was held over a few days in Melbourne and as part of it a swapmeet was hosted by Sneaker Freaker. It offered us a chance to meet some of the best in the game such as Bobby Hundreds, Futura and Woody from Sneaker Freaker. It made us love the culture even more and ignited my passion for street wear and sneakers.
What inspired you to build a sneaker/garments after care business?
It was a combination of things; the love for sneakers, fashion and seeing a gap in the market in a world where fashion is fast we wanted to create a product to help people keep their wearables for longer with more chances of the item to be resold or passed on instead of throwing it out just being because the item is dirty or deemed unwearable.
Can you please tell us more about the amazing activities and support you provide not just for the Sneaker community but also in the promotion of mental health care and awareness.
Over the 4 years of business we have held and contributed the best way we can for our community from holding stalls to creating concept activations such as Aether Hotel and Aether Courtside at the recent Summer Jam. We feel the importance in giving back and our duty to be an advocate for mental health as the action of caring carries through to the rest of your actions because if you look good, feel good, you do good. Our latest project for the community is Sunday Kind of Love. A Youtube channel and workshops held at the Aether Care flagship store on how to take care and restore your wearables from sneakers to garments.
Who is your greatest inspiration?
Our mum-
She looked after a family of 5 boys whilst working multiple jobs on her own. She is and always will be our main inspiration, fun fact our company name is actually named after her Maiden name.
What are your plans for the future?
We have multiple parts growing at the moment. We are really excited with new business opportunities, collaborations and if all goes to plan we have some exciting activations in Melbourne and Sydney! Which we will be announcing in the coming months.
Advice for the future entrepreneurs.
Our advice to future entrepreneurs is—Just start! It’s the hardest thing to do once you have started the rest will figure itself out. Just work smart, trust the process and don’t be afraid to fail.
Aether Care High Quality Sneaker and Garment products are available HERE. A portion of each sale goes to the care and research for mental health.
The latest kicks from ASICS is a three-way partnership with bal and mita sneakers, featuring the masterpiece of the ASICS Sportstyle range, the GEL-LYTE™ III. This collaboration marks bal‘s (formerly known as balanceweardesign), a streetwear brand based in Tokyo, and mita sneakers‘ 20th anniversary.
bal is all about “high quality, modern, casual wear, and graphics based on urban life.” Taking this concept, they have given the popular GEL-LYTE™ III a makeover, changing the signature split tongue into a zip, and applying gunmetal overlays over a solid black toe box and subtle quilted panels to give it a chic look. The quick lace system with a stopper gives a bright pop of red as an accent on the otherwise dark colour scheme.
Functionality is still a main theme though, with GORE-TEX technology keeping your feet dry in wet conditions, and reflective material enhancing visibility for night-time runs.
Will be on sale for ¥19,800 from on the 11th of February, at mita sneakers, the bal flagship store, and ASICS Harajuku and Osaka LINKS Umeda, as well as their respective online stores.
Well, here we are! The Fast & Furious saga is STILL going. No. 10. You would think this would have wrapped up after the death of Paul Walker right? Wrong. When Fast 9 came out, it was confirmed the series would end after the 11th installment.
So the basic overview of this movie is Dom protecting his family once again from Cipher (Charilze Theron) who has now teamed up with Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes who is seeking revenge against Dom and his crew for his father’s death in Fast Five.
Now this movie is stacked with hollywood talent. We have various characters coming back from previous movies including Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Jason Statham and many more. There are reports floating around as well of Gal Gadot returning to reprise her role of Gisele, however this has not been confirmed at time of writing.
This movie marks the ending of The Fast Saga with this being the Part 1 in the 2 part finale. The Fast franchise has brought in over $6 billion at the box office internationally to date
Fast X hits cinemas here in Australia on May 18th 2023. Let us know what you think below of this trailer
The first trailer for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s new movie dubbed “Air” has been released.
The movie focuses around the early 1980s in how Nike started out in the basketball sneaker game which was created through Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan brand.
The movie is centred around Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) as he tries to turn around Nike’s fortunes in the basketball department when he discovers a rookie Michael Jordan and is willing to bet his career on him becoming the next greatest player.
Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan.
Amazon and Affleck announced last month that AIR will receive a traditional theatrical release across the globe before debuting on Prime Video at a later, yet-to-be announced date (its streaming release date will depend upon its box office performance, at least to some extent). Such a release is a significant step for a streamer.
AIR hits cinemas here in Australia in early April 2023
Let us know what you think below about this trailer? Are you hyped to see this one?
ASICS and Brain Dead first teamed up in 2021 with the TRABUCO MAX™ ‘Chaos Slime’. Both brands continue their successful partnership building two new GEL-NIMBUS® 9 footwear models. The sneakers originally released in 2007, the GEL-NIMBUS® 9 sneakers was built for runners seeking supportive cushioning on the road.
In this early 2000s era of ASICS performance footwear, the development team shifted towards a more segmented midsole design. With GEL® technology inserts in the heel and forefoot, this tooling helped create better cushioning and a more stable landing.
Both ASICS x Brain Dead designs remain true to the original release of the GEL-NIMBUS® 9, and will be launched in two divergent colourways accentuated by bold contrasts and colour blocking; Rio Red and Night Shade. The industrial look harks back to the turn of the millennium aesthetic and styling.
The Brain Dead x ASICS GEL-NIMBUS® 9 capsule collection will retail for $280 AUD and are now available at wearebraindead.com, ASICS.com and select retailers. Make sure you sign up to our news letter. For other ASICS features, click HERE and for sneaker features, click HERE.
Japan’s leading sneaker marketplace SNKRDUNK joins forces with streetwear label WIND AND SEA to bring a limited edition collection to Singapore. Both brands share an appreciation for typography and attention to detail. This collection features bold graphics and striking colours that enhance each print with carefully selected textures.
WIND AND SEA was founded in 2018 by stylist/photographer Takashi Kumagai. The brand quickly became one of Japan’s leading lifestyle brands which captured the attention of Japanese celebrities such as actor Kimura Takuya, who has been spotted numerous times wearing the brand’s distinct prints.
The WIND AND SEA x SNKRDUNK collection utilizes the signature typography of Wind and Sea, printing them in different textures across bold colour schemes. This collection will include a huge mix of streetwear essentials such as tees, shorts, caps, hoodies, jackets, and sneaker bags.
The WIND AND SEA x SNKRDUNK limited edition collection will be available in Singapore at the SNKRDUNK flagship store in Mandarin Gallery on the 11th of February. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date! Stay tuned for more SNKRDUNK features in the near future. For other previous sneaker features, please click here.
“I started during the late 80s to 90s era of the NBA and PBA, like many Filipino kids at that time, I was crazy about basketball, the culture that comes with it and mainly the sneakers. Although, I was more focused on local brands such as Grosby and Kaypee as they were the affordable alternatives to Nike/Jordan.
I wouldn’t call myself a collector back then and has always been in the outside looking in, I have copped some pairs throughout the years but the obsession really only kicked in a few years ago when I really immersed myself in the culture started collecting.
Before I started collecting, I used to do street photography as a hobby, which I have kind of fallen out of because life just got busier. When I started collecting sneakers, I figured I should try photography again and mix it up with my new passion and hobby, I was rusty and shit at it, I had to grind and relearn as I was shooting a different subject matter altogether. I appreciate that you guys think they’re good.
Like the most clichéd sneaker advise (which is buy what you like), just shoot what you like, you’ll find the audience that will like your style. And there are no rules really, keep looking and observing, keep shooting and posting. The number of likes on a photo is not a reflection on your capabilities, as long as you love doing it, keep going at it.”
Nike SB Dunk Low Retro PRM ‘ Year of the Rabbit White Rabbit’ @jnywkzNike Vaporwaffle x @sacaiofficial ‘Sesame Blue Void’ @kickzfigz @asics_sportstyle_au ASICS Gel-NYC x @awakenewyorkclothing ‘NY Teal’ @nohypelah@sauconyoriginalsaunz Saucony Grid 8000 x @uptherstore ‘Sashiko’ @arkiemman Nike Zoom Vapor AJ3 ‘Atmos Jade’ @mcmorales1ASICS Gel-1130 x @hal.studios ‘ Smoke Grey’ @benjjiiVans UA Sk8-Hi Reissue VLT LX x @pattanl ‘Mean Eyed Cat’ @sckicks5 Jordan 1 Retro High ‘Starfish’ @apcawNike Air Max 1 ‘Pinnacle Arctic Pink’ @ny73skye
NBA® 2K and the National Basketball League (NBL) has announced they will include all the official NBL Team jerseys in NBA® 2K23. Players can purchase and wear their local NBL Team jerseys for their MyPLAYER in The City* or the G.O.A.T. Boat**
“Customising a MyPLAYER is often the first thing our players do when they jump into NBA 2K23 and we’re excited to have been able to work closely with the National Basketball League to add NBL team jerseys throughout the City and G.O.A.T. Boat to give our players a way to show off their local team pride,” said Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing at NBA 2K.
This year’s inclusion is the first time the NBL Team jerseys have appeared in NBA 2K.
“Adding NBL jerseys to NBA 2K23 grows and strengthens the thriving partnership between our League and 2K. Last year NBL Oz Gaming became the newest expansion team in the NBA 2K League and preparations towards our inaugural season are ramping up. NBL jerseys will now be accessible to a new legion of basketball fans across the world and we can’t wait to see them being worn in NBA 2K23,” said Jeremy Loeliger, Commissioner of the National Basketball League.
“It is going to be awesome to see Perth Wildcats jerseys in NBA 2K23. As a big 2K fan, I know I’ll definitely be rocking one in the game and I can’t wait to see other players wearing Wildcats’ jerseys as well” said Luke Travers, Perth Wildcats youngster and winner of the NBL Cup 2K Tournament.
NBA 2K23 fans can purchase the NBL Team jerseys for their MyPLAYERs in JT’s Sporting Goods in The City available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as in Rowe’s Sporting Goods in the G.O.A.T. Boat on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch consoles, and PC platforms.
*The City is only available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S **G.O.A.T. Boat is only available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch consoles, and PC platforms
For the latest NBA 2K23 game news and updates, head to TikTok,Instagram,Twitter andYouTube. Make sure you subscribe to our website for the latest features. For other NBA 2K or NBA features, click HERE.
ASICS announces their first-ever collaboration with Toyoda Gosei, a leading global manufacturer of rubber and plastic for automotive components and safety systems such as airbags. The Toyoda Gosei x ASICS collaboration features the GEL-SONOMA™ 15-50 sneaker. This collaboration explores the important topic of making efforts for repurposing materials by Toyoda Gosei’s leftover airbag materials that they use for their prototyping.
Airbags in cars are carefully developed with precise standards to ensure safety and functionality. However, the prototype airbags that don’t pass the tests are discarded. This has resulted in a growing amount of waste. ASICS is committed to reducing the impact to our environment; Toyoda Gosei found a way to repurpose the discarded content onto the GEL-SONOMA™ 15-50 sneaker design.
Despite not passing car safety standards, these airbags still offer advanced durability properties. This inspired the design team to repurpose the materials for the shoe’s underlays. The underlays are also offset with the same red stitching that appears on the airbags produced by Toyoda Gosei. Its stitching is met with various numbering and letters that match the codes embroidered onto standard airbags. Meanwhile, the tongue is offset with a fluffy badge detail that’s inspired by the look of an inflated airbag.
The Toyoda Gosei x ASICSGEL-SONOMA™ 15-50 sneakers from the recycled airbag collection will retail for $200 AUD and will be available online at ASICS.com, Laced, USG, Up There and INCU from the 27th of January. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter, so you can stay up to date! For other ASICS features, click HERE and for sneaker features, click HERE.
