The Wood Wood x Asics sneaker we spotted on the runway at Copenhagen Fashion Week earlier this year has already landed. The founder of the Danish label talks us through the revamped classic
Thought you'd have to wait until autumn to get their hands on the newest Wood Wood x Asics sneakers, which debuted during the Danish brand's autumn/winter ’24 runway show? In a happy surprise for your spring shoe-drobe, the new collab drop has launched today.
Dubbed GT-2160, the sneaker is a revamped version of the same-named model initially released in 2010. “To me, this model still feels very fresh,” says Brian Jensen, founder of Wood Wood. Upon seeing the first shoe sample in the Asics offices in Amsterdam, it immediately piqued Jensen’s interest. “I find it interesting that, although many of the designs from this era are actually kind of hard to distinguish from each other, they all have this very distinct aesthetic that is unique to Asics,” he says.
Having been working together since 2017, Asics and Wood Wood are no new bedfellows. Sourcing inspiration for the latest collaboration, Jensen returned to the roots of the brands’ long-standing relationship. “It actually goes back to our first collaboration from seven years ago,” Jensen explains. “Back then we did two colourways: one was loosely inspired by the design language of Dieter Rams and his work with Braun electronics, and a second one which was more connected to the aesthetics of millennial Sony devices – I was really into the MiniDisc look.”
Photo: Philip Messmann
Photo: Philip Messman
Photo: Philip Messmann
For the new GT-2160, the labels created a fresh mashup of the two designs introduced in 2017, where warm grey, blush and brown hues are punctuated by a cool silver shade. “The main thing for me was to bring out various textures in the panels, getting all the tones right and incorporating subtle colour details,” Jensen says. While some new features, like the lace loops and tongue label, that the 2010 model didn’t have were added, Jensen “really didn’t want to go too far off the original design for this one.”
Presenting their latest sneaker baby, Wood Wood and Asics have put together a dynamic campaign that celebrates the body and the power of the movement. Shot by Danish photographer Philip Messmann, the campaign stars a host of professional ballet dancers and trampoline jumpers sporting the new shoe as they are captured bouncing mid-air. The campaign cleverly intertwines Asics’ brand messaging of finding joy through movement with the aesthetic universe of Wood Wood, all while showcasing the versatility of the GT-2160.
Photo: Philip Messmann
“I think Wood Wood represents a certain Scandinavian lifestyle which Asics finds in line with where they’re going,” says Jensen. “It’s [Asics running shoes] a very distinct design language that coincidentally has been quite popular among the Copenhagen youth over the last couple of years. I've always found it interesting when a product with a very specific purpose gets adopted by a crowd or culture far away from its intended target.”
The Asics GT-2160 sneaker has now been launched exclusively at Wood Wood in Copenhagen and online at woodwood.com, before launching globally on March 22
