Highs and Lows' HAL STUDIOS® Strips Back the ASICS GEL-1130

Matthew Thomas’ Australian boutique Highs and Lows has over 16 years of experience and throughout its legacy, HAL has produced numerous hard-hitting collaborations, more often than not with the Japanese sportswear giant ASICS. Now, HAL has revealed its latest collaboration, once again working with ASICS, but this time around taking on the GEL-1130.

Thomas and HAL’s designer and creative director John Bouquet came together to launch the in-house HAL STUDIOS® division, which serves as the backbone of this collaboration. HAL describes the off-shoot as “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.” With this in mind, its GEL-1130 has taken what it calls a “maximal minimalism” approach, highlighting retro-futuristic forms to celebrate the archived running sneaker through the means of textures, tones, and materialization.

Earthy tones work the entirety of the sneaker, from a base of light gray mesh to the overlapping panels of suede. Brown suede works the toe bumper and ASICS-branded mid-panel, while smooth cream leather underpins the essentials such as the front-quarter support and vamp tabs. Gray suede peeps out by the top eyelets, while navy blue suede works its way from the tongue to the rear, where you’ll find an asymmetrical finish alongside HAL STUDIOS® branding on transparent TPU tags.

Naturally, transparent ASICS branding graces the tongue, while cream 3M-speckled rope laces and forest green leather co-branded insoles round the design off. As for the technology, you’ll find a resin TRUSSTIC middle piece embedded into the cream sole unit, sitting alongside GEL tech cushioning at the heel for a combination that offers twist-preventing stability, shock absorption, and all-day comfort.

Highs and Lows’ ASICS GEL-1130 collaboration can be seen above and bought from HAL on April 14, while a wider release will land on ASICS’ website and at various ASICS stockists worldwide on April 23.

Elsewhere in the footwear world, HYPEBEAST’s latest issue of Sole Mates is out.