ABOVE THE CLOUDS x ASICS Weave the GEL-SD-LYTE in Tonal "Black/Gunmetal"
The Australian retailer’s take draws on Japanese design discipline and a craft handed down across cultures and cities.
Name: ABOVE THE CLOUDS x ASICS GEL-SD-LYTE
Colorway: Black / Gunmetal
SKU: 1203B090.001
MSRP: $300 AUD (approx. $210 USD)
Release Date: Available now (Australia), October 3 (Global)
Where to Buy: ABOVE THE CLOUDS, ASICS AU, KITH
ASICS SportStyle and ABOVE THE CLOUDS have unveiled their collaborative GEL-SD-LYTE, a tonal version of the silhouette defined by a finely woven upper. The Australian fashion retailer took its cue from Japanese design principles, where shape, purpose and material are treated as one decision, and used weaving as the organizing idea for the entire shoe.
The upper is the main story. Instead of relying on panels and color blocking, the pair uses a dense woven construction that serves as both structure and surface, giving the GEL-SD-LYTE a crafted, tactile finish. The choice reflects weaving’s history as a skill passed from maker to maker and place to place, and the upper acts as a quiet tribute to the craft and design communities that have kept it alive.
Color is kept to a minimum so the texture stands out. The Black/Gunmetal palette runs almost fully tonal, with the gunmetal tones catching light along the weave and trim. In the campaign imagery, the black ASICS stripes sit as molded overlays across the woven base, and a matching black midsole and outsole anchor the shoe. The result is a clean, restrained silhouette that lets the construction do the talking.
