special

ASICS x HAL STUDIOS

Following a decade-long partnership, Australian boutique Highs And Lows have reunited with ASICS to collaborate on the GEL-1130™. After 16 years in the game, 2021 marked a new chapter for Highs And Lows; founder Matthew Thomas and designer/creative director John Bouquet partnered up to launch a new project titled “HAL STUDIOS®” — a multi-faceted creative house dedicated to the examination of design concepts. The project embodies a ‘Design Thinking’ approach to questioning and problem-solving. It is an ongoing conversation, a series of case studies and collaborative projects.

On the ASICS GEL-1130™, HAL STUDIOS® has taken a ‘maximal minimalism’ approach to the design by stripping back the usual characteristics and aesthetics of a traditional sports shoe. Instead, they have chosen to highlight the retro-futuristic form and shape of the archival running silhouette through the use of beautiful textures and tones.