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ASICS Partners with SHUSHU/TONG for Elegant ‘Ballerina’ Pack
If there’s one sportswear brand that’s mastered the art of collaboration lately, it’s ASICS. Fresh from well-received releases with JJJJound, Cecilie Bahnsen, and Little Tokyo Table Tennis, the Japanese label is now turning heads once again, this time joining forces with Shanghai-based design house SHUSHU/TONG.
SHUSHU/TONG
The partnership introduces the Ballerina Pack, a duo of striking colourways for the GEL-Kinetic Fluent silhouette. While the sneakers themselves are a statement in their own right, the accompanying campaign is arguably just as captivating, if not more so. The visuals depict ballerinas wearing the trainers, rendered in painterly, almost classical compositions, blurring the lines between sportswear and fine art.
Founded in 2015 by designers Liushu Lei and Youtong Jiang, SHUSHU/TONG has built an international reputation for hyper-feminine, playful, and often whimsical designs. Drawing inspiration from romantic aesthetics but with a modern twist, the brand has been a darling of the fashion-conscious for the past decade.
Their previous collaboration with ASICS, the GEL-MJ Pack, famously featured bow details, cementing their ability to fuse performance footwear with couture-level detailing.
‘Ballerina’ Pack
For the ‘Ballerina’ Pack, the duo once again infuses athletic design with delicate accents. The GEL-Kinetic Fluent retains its technical underpinnings: a breathable mesh and synthetic leather upper, cushioned foam and GEL midsole for comfort, and a tonal rubber outsole for grip, but is elevated with elegant lace trims placed around the laces and heel.
These decorative touches speak directly to current balletcore and coquette trends, which have been sweeping through the sneaker scene.
The collection will be available in two refined colourways: ‘White Dive Blue’ and ‘Black Blue Expanse’. Each retains the sleek, dynamic shape of the GEL-Kinetic Fluent while adding SHUSHU/TONG’s unmistakable romanticism.
The Drop
The SHUSHU/TONG x ASICS GEL-Kinetic Fluent Ballerina Pack is set to launch on August 23, 2025, through ASICS, SHUSHU/TONG, and selected premium retailers. Given the success of their past collaborations, demand is expected to be high.
Keep an eye on the Drop Date’s news page for more articles like these.
