Issey Miyake’s colourful collaboration with Asics is making an early claim for sneaker of the year

We might just be a week into the new year, but Issey Miyake’s recently announced collaboration with fellow Japanese brand – and sportswear behemoth – Asics is making an early claim for the standout sneaker of 2026.

As one would expect for Issey Miyake – a fashion label as well known for its bold aesthetic statements as it is for the innovative processes used to create the otherworldly garments – this is no throwaway collaboration, but instead the culmination of a months-long process of experimentation, testing and play.

With a satisfying simplicity, the broader project is titled ‘Issey Miyake Foot’, an ongoing collaboration with Asics which is expected to spawn several more footwear launches over the coming year (and perhaps beyond, though the specifics of the partnership have yet to be revealed).

As the name suggests, at the heart of the project is a ‘study of the foot... to develop footwear that brings new perspectives and proposals to everyday life’, as Issey Miyake describes. A collaboration between the MDS (Miyake Design Studio) and Asics’ development team, the prototypes were rigorously tested at the Asics Institute of Sport Science in Nishi-Ku, a ward of Kobe, Japan.

The first launch from the project – which arrives in selected stores later this month – is called Issey Miyake Foot ‘Hyper Taping’. Originally revealed as part of the IM Men show in Paris this past June, the sleek, low-profile sneaker draws inspiration from the colourful taping worn by athletes to prevent injury.

Conceived to ‘tape’ the foot in a similar manner, the sneaker features wraparound velcro fastening – the idea is to stabilise the foot – while the slim outsole is derived from those used for wrestling shoes. Meanwhile, a new last has been created for the shoe, one which prioritises comfort and is fine-tuned to the natural contours of the foot.

Which all makes it an apt purchase for the fitness pursuits typical of the new year, whether you are making an attempt to increase your daily steps or hitting the gym floor. Physical activity is not a prerequisite, though: we simply enjoy the bold hues typical of Issey Miyake, from vivid shades of yellow and blue to a steely silver grey.

Issey Miyake Foot ‘Hyper Taping’ is available in selected stores later this month.

isseymiyake.com