When Saucony asked Japanese artist Toshikazu Nozaka to design shoes to commemorate the Tokyo Marathon, the only Asian race in the highly celebrated World Marathon Majors, he brilliantly conveyed Japanese heritage through this Special Edition Tokyo Pack.
His vision for two of Saucony’s popular models, the Kinvara and the DXN trainer, includes “sakura” or cherry blossoms and a great wave, in shades of black, white and silver.
The Kinvara 7 (P5,995) gets a Japanese-style makeover with the country’s well-known spring icon, the Sakura or a cherry blossom which has a special meaning in Japanese culture because of its fragility and beauty. The Sakura’s lifespan only lasts a week, and the bloom signifies the beginning of Spring.
The distinctive blossoms appear alongside some bright green embellishments, heralding the lush, new foliage of spring. The dark blue hue on the sides of each shoe act as a nod to Japan’s traditional art of indigo dyeing, while the Sakura design continues inside, appearing on the insoles.
The DXN trainer retails for P4,995 and features Nozaka’s original wave design which expresses passion and forward motion, taking inspiration from traditional Japanese prints created in the early 1800s while the background scale design represents rebirth in Japanese culture.
Nozaka’s background in tattoo artistry shines through in the design, with its bold curves and intricate inlay. Each shoe comes in a special edition box.
Limited pairs of the Tokyo Pack DXN Trainer and Kinvara 7 exclusively released online on www.complexlifestylestore.com April 1, 12MN and at the Saucony Retail Store, Level 2 of Glorietta 3 (Kinvara 7 only) last April 1, 2016 and to date has been SOLD-OUT.
Photos sourced from HYPEBEAST.
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