Asics and Gallery Dept. unveiled their highly anticipated collaboration sneaker, the GT-2160, to a global audience with its debut on December 15th. Originally released as a ComplexCon exclusive, the GT-2160 is a unique take on the classic Asics silhouette, adorned with a splattered paint design inspired by the creative process of artist Josué Thomas.
Thomas, the mastermind behind Gallery Dept., was inspired by the way his own sneakers were transformed by splashes of paint as he worked on his art. This inspiration is reflected in the colorway of the GT-2160, which features turquoise, orange, yellow and black paint accents on the midfoot and toe, while the heel remains untouched, mirroring the protection Thomas’ pants provide to the back of his sneakers.
The GT-2160’s base palette blended silver, blue, black and white, creating a distinct color scheme that exuded elegance while also nodding to the “dadcore” aesthetic. A yellow Gallery Dept. hang tag and co-branded insole further complemented the collaboration’s branding.
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Even before its global release, the GT-2160 garnered significant attention on the resale market, with prices regularly exceeding the retail price of $295 USD on platforms like StockX. While the announcement of the wider release tempered some of the resale market’s fervor, the demand for the sneaker remained unwavering.
The debut of the GT-2160 coincided with Asics‘ increasing embrace of collaborations on its retro running models. Inspired by the GT-2000 series, the GT-2160 emerged amid a resurgence in popularity for models like the GT-2000 7 and 9, which received collaborations from Hidden.NY and ASICS Tiger, respectively.
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