Inspired by one of Malaysia’s favourite desserts, the latest ASICS Sportstyle collaboration turns the GEL-KAYANO 20 into a colourful tribute to ice kacang, complete with details inspired by its iconic ingredients.
ASICS Sportstyle Malaysia and SneakerLAH are back with another collaboration rooted in Malaysian culture, and this time, they’re taking inspiration from something sweet.
Introducing the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 20 ‘Ice Kacang’, a limited edition release celebrating the beloved Malaysian shaved ice dessert. Known for its colourful mix of ingredients, ice kacang becomes the inspiration for a sneaker that brings together nostalgia, local flavour and ASICS’ technical running design.
But this collaboration has a story that goes back further than you might think.
A Concept Eight Years in the Making
ASICS Sportstyle Malaysia and SneakerLAH have built a reputation for turning Malaysian cultural icons into sneakers, with previous collaborations celebrating everything from local food to national landmarks.
The partnership has delivered the GEL-KAYANO 5 OG ‘Nasi Lemak’ in 2019, the GEL-LYTE III ‘Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers’ in 2020, the GEL-LYTE III ‘Teh Tarik’ in 2022 and the ASICS SKYHAND OG ‘Mamee Monster’ in 2024.
Interestingly, the idea for an ice kacang inspired sneaker was first added to their concept bank back in 2018, when the two were developing their very first collaboration.
Now, eight years later, that original idea has finally come to life with the SneakerLAH x ASICS GEL-KAYANO 20 ‘Ice Kacang’.
It is another chapter in a partnership that continues to find inspiration in the everyday things that make Malaysian culture special.
Every Detail Has a Flavour
The GEL-KAYANO 20 ‘Ice Kacang’ takes the ingredients of the dessert and translates them into the sneaker’s design.
The predominantly white upper represents the mountain of shaved ice at the centre of the dessert, while rose pink panelling takes inspiration from the rose syrup. Yellow accents reference sweet corn, also known locally as jagung.
The details continue through the technical elements. The FLUIDFIT cage, which features a criss-cross TPU application across the upper, represents the drizzle of evaporated milk.
Underfoot, the dual GEL® technology inserts receive a green finish inspired by cendol, while the black GUIDANCE TRUSSTIC® support system references grass jelly. Red bean inspired detailing also appears around the lace eyelets and toebox.
To finish things off, an outdoor style lace lock system adds a rugged touch to the silhouette. It is also a first for the collaboration series, bringing trail inspired hardware into the mix.
The result is a sneaker that tells its story through colour, texture and carefully considered details. You might see a clean white runner at first glance, but look closer and the ingredients of a classic Malaysian dessert start to reveal themselves.
Another Malaysian Story Told Through Sneakers
For SneakerLAH founder Bryan Chin, the release continues the partnership’s mission of celebrating Malaysian identity through footwear.
From nasi lemak and teh tarik to the Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers and MAMEE Monster, each collaboration has drawn from a different part of the country’s culture.
The ‘Ice Kacang’ continues that approach by spotlighting a familiar local dessert, turning a nostalgic favourite into something sneakerheads can wear and collect.
It is a reminder that sneaker collaborations do not always need to look beyond their own backyard for inspiration. Sometimes, the best stories come from the culture, food and memories people grew up with.
Australian Release: Enter the ASICS Raffle
Australian sneakerheads will have a chance to get their hands on the SneakerLAH x ASICS GEL-KAYANO 20 ‘Ice Kacang’ through an ASICS Australia raffle.
The raffle is open from 20 October 2026 at 9am AEDT until 23 October 2026 at 3pm AEDT, giving fans a limited window to enter for a chance to secure this Malaysian culture inspired collaboration.
Priced at $320 AUD, the GEL-KAYANO 20 ‘Ice Kacang’ brings the flavours and colours of Malaysia’s iconic shaved ice dessert to one of ASICS’ recognisable technical running silhouettes.
To enter, head to the official ASICS Australia website and check out the raffle details.
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