asics x miyake design studio | the hyper taping sneaker

Two of Japan’s most disciplined design forces have finally collided. For Spring/Summer 2026, Asics and Miyake Design Studio (MDS) are stripping the sneaker back to its anatomical roots with the launch of ‘Hyper Taping.’ It is a silhouette that playfully mixes the features of a high-performance wrestling boot with the sleek lines of modern architecture.

While this marks their first official footwear project together, the connection between the two houses runs deep. Both are pillars of Japanese innovation with a shared obsession over how the human body moves. Asics has been refining its ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ philosophy since 1949, while MDS has spent over five decades exploring the relationship between fabric and form. According to the teams, the project is built on “unwavering trust” and a mutual desire to develop footwear that brings “new perspectives to everyday life.”

First spotted on the runway at the IM MEN Spring/Summer 2026 show in Paris, the project is a radical reconstruction of the sneaker anatomy. The design team at MDS took the concept of athletic taping – a technique used to stabilise a body in motion – and applied it literally. As the studio explains, the design was “born from reconstructing the Asics design icon,” turning the signature side stripes into thick, original elastic bands. These wrap the foot to replace traditional overlays, creating a locked-in, second-skin fit.

 

Perhaps the boldest move here is the choice of chassis. The silhouette is based on a wrestling shoe, a category rarely touched in lifestyle footwear due to its famously tight fit. To solve this, the teams developed an entirely new last (the internal mould of the shoe), widening the sole to accommodate daily wear without losing its ground-hugging profile.

Visually, the outsole is the showstopper. Extending up onto the lower part of the upper, the tread is inspired by the biomechanics of a gecko’s foot. It offers intense grip and contributes to the shoe’s unique, organic aesthetic. Despite the thin, wrestling-style sole, comfort hasn’t been sacrificed: the interior is packed with a Flytefoam Propel insole and an Ortholite sock liner to provide bounce and cushioning for all-day wear.

The collection arrives in three distinct moods: the high-visibility Green/Blue that turned heads in Paris, alongside monochromatic Black and Grey colourways for a more brutalist look.

 

The Hyper Taping sneaker will be available globally starting 22 January 2026 at Asics, Issey Miyake boutiques and select retailers. Find out more here.

photography. courtesy of Asics
words. Gennaro Costanzo