adidas, in collaboration with visionary designer Yohji Yamamoto, has once again disrupted the conventional footwear landscape with the launch of the Y-3 KYASU sneaker. This innovative creation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between the global sportswear giant and the esteemed Japanese fashion icon.
First unveiled at Yohji Yamamoto’s Paris Fashion Week showcase in March 2023, the Y-3 KYASU is a testament to a minimalist design philosophy and a bold departure from traditional sneaker aesthetics. The design ethos behind this sneaker was to reimagine the iconic adidas Superstar with a bold, concrete look. This idea was brought to life through a design that prioritises simplicity and rawness, blending adidas’ rich sporting history with Yamamoto’s unorthodox design principles.
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The sneaker’s unique silhouette is characterised by its minimalist construction. It features a rubber shell toe, a significantly enlarged PU midsole, a suede upper and simple laces. Remarkably, the Y-3 KYASU eschews the traditional insole and shank in favour of an upper that is stitched directly to the soft, lightweight midsole. This design choice not only enhances the sneaker’s stark and rugged appearance, but also contributes to its expressive aesthetic.
One of the most striking features of the Y-3 KYASU sneaker is its fully foldable upper. This, combined with the sneaker’s thick, brick-like outsole, allows it to stand vertically, revealing a silhouette that vividly captures Yohji Yamamoto’s avant-garde design sensibility. This feature alone sets the Y-3 KYASU apart from its contemporaries, offering a visual representation of the sneaker as a work of art as well as a functional piece of footwear.
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The Y-3 KYASU sneaker is available in both high and low cut versions to suit a wide range of style preferences. Availability of the sneaker is broad, with adidas offering it globally on adidas.com/y-3, as well as through the CONFIRMED app. It is also available in select retail stores, making it accessible to a wide audience of sneaker enthusiasts.
© Photos: adidas