Aaron Hope 
Japanese running giants Asics stayed out of the Chinese New Year 2012 race, but here’s a selection of Far East flavor that’ll just as clearly designate our current position on the calendar. These new Asics Gel Lyte IIIs are done with the kind of crisp white and black blocking that’s played a significant role in casual kicks early this year. The two are more or less inverted when it comes to their palettes, with the black pair coming cast in nubuck and Cordura while the whites opt for leather atop the rugged DuPont fabric. This pack of polar opposites manages to nail the theme while reminding the West that there’s actually no ‘bad’ side of the yin-yang, and you’ll find them now at select retailers like SNS.
