Michael Le Widely accredited as the authority on high quality basics, Reigning Champ has become a wardrobe mainstay for more than one reason, employing footwear collaborations almost as often as they utilize terry cloth. However, this past year was lacking with even the mention of the Canadian imprint as their continuous ASICS collaborations had but only one set of releases last Summer. Reprising this partnership, the two now seek different inspiration, diverting attention away from lifestyle to further flesh out an entire capsule of performance staples and neutral runners.
Textile-driven and designed minimal with intention, the apparel stands tall at the helm, crafting to a high diversity spanning seamless pants, shorts, socks, half-zip tops, and a wealth of tees replete with graphic touch and cobranding. The sneakers, then, arrive to match, drawing influence from the same Vancouver scenery — specifically the city’s “Sea to Sky Corridor” trails that ascend upwards into deep forestation. Mountaineering-geared by way of tooling and material though colored in a way “gloomy,” the pairs strike a balance between style and function, utilizing both the GEL-Quantum 360 5 Trail as well as the GEL-Cumulus 21 GTX to speak to this very narrative. Of the two, the latter lies at the lighter end of the spectrum, holding better weather-proofing alongside thanks to its GORE-TEX lining. Elsewhere, the colorless upper dresses with reflective accents towards its side logos as well as the strip down the heel, detailing on top a base of structural nylon ripstop. Its accompaniment, which prefers a dark midnight, basks in the same fabrication with taping blending in with complement and an attached shock cord added for improved utility.
Grab a detailed look at the capsule here and expect a release to happen at select shops and likely ASICS.com on February 1st.
Reigning Champ x ASICS Vancouver Edition
Release Date: February 1st, 2020
