Matt Varga Australian leisurewear imprint Temptation Vacation has always had a singular motto at the heart of their operation: “vacation’s never as far away as you think.” Blurring the lines between recreation and active work in that way makes them a perfect fit to step into ASICS’ world, currently enjoying their meteoric rise in no small part to recontextualizing their archive of performance runners as casually werable silhouettes. Enter the Temptation Vacation x ASICS GEL-DS Trainer 14, ushering the Aussie apparel company into the Japanese brand’s rolodex.
As mentioned in our headline, the craggy Australian coastline is the starting point for this design, lending the earthy tones you can spot easily at the edges of the upper. For the mesh foundation, more recognizable sandy hues set up shop, while flares of ocean blue land on the outsole. Though only subtly distinct compared to the lush brown on the sockliner, the “Olive Canvas” that courses through the Tiger logo and midsole speaks to the bush flora that dots the Australian countryside.
From ASICS’ standpoint, this is a further indication that the GEL-DS Trainer 14 is here to stay. While first brought back to the forefront by Kiko Kostadinov, the shoe began trickling back into the mainline shortly after. Now it nabs its first outside link-up, likely just the first of many as the shoe centers itself as a primary model within the sportstyle catalog.
The Temptation Vacation x ASICS GEL-DS Trainer 14 releases via the brand’s site on May 25th, with a wider global release via retailers like KITH, Dover Street Market, and END. set for May 30th. Retail is set at $220 AUD, approximately equivalent to $140 USD.
