Kiko Kostadinov’s Tabi-Toed ASICS Are a Surprise Deep Cut
It’s been almost a decade since Kiko Kostadinov and ASICS first crossed paths (how time flies!), and what began with elderly running shoes has evolved into something far more outlandish. Ten years ago, the concept of putting ASICS runners on the runway was radical. Now, everyone's seemingly up to it, and Kostadinov, ever the innovator, has pushed his collaboration beyond ASICS’ typical sporty silhouettes.
The last few years included ASICS x Kiko Kostadinov 3D-printed mules, bizarre backless runners, and full-on moto boots. Now it's the time for ASICS tabi running shoes, finally.
It’s been over a year since Kostadinov first teased the idea of tabi-fied ASICS, after letting them loose during the brand’s Fall/Winter 2025 show. Then there were more during that season’s womenswear runway show. And again for Spring/Summer 2026.
And now, alongside a series of three short films by American artist Ryan Trecartin, the first of which debuts on February 23 at a Los Angeles event, split-toed ASICS are finally hitting the shelves.
The Kiko Kostadinov x ASICS ILARGI F, a thin-soled runner with a technical knit upper, drops at Kostadinov’s London store on February 19, then lands online on February 23.
It is an opportune moment to release toe-splitting sneakers, with Maison Margiela’s Tabi boots having become ubiquitous, Nike’s major Skims collaboration created hoofed sneakers as its first footwear, and the rise of toe shoes normalising freaky toe-hugging footwear. But ASICS isn’t merely jumping on a trend; the Japanese label was making tabi shoes before Martin Margiela was even born.
Kostadinov dug deep into the archives to create these sneakers, referencing ASICS tabi marathon shoes from the 1950s. This is the return of an OG, the tabi sneaker that ran so today’s tabis could walk.
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