You may have seen Prince William wearing a pair of trainers that stands out recently – it’s a pair of retro Onitsuka Tiger trainers, their Mexico 66 pair, named after the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, where it was the official shoe for the Japanese national team.

These sneakers had cultural cachet before the royals wore them in London, even though Uma Thurman wore them in yellow in Kill Bill, and they were a popular sneaker for club kids during the 1990s rave scene.

This sports-inspired fashion brand offers a refreshing retro change to your typical minimalist streetwear. Onitsuka Tiger’s latest sneaker line pays homage to Japan’s contributions to the Olympics. And throughout the 1970s, this brand of shoes became one of the best runners worn by athletes and maintained a style similar to their original designs.

Their latest line celebrates the year of the tiger in the Chinese zodiac, which began in February this year. While most of the new collection features tiger stripes, other pieces pay homage to the brand’s past as a key influencer of 1970s sneaker culture. Malaysian pop singer Hael Husaini is also the first official partner of the country’s local brand.

When the brand recently showcased the new line at Milan Fashion Week, it highlighted its GSM SD sneakers, which take inspiration from their classic design, just as GSM stands for the phrase “Game, Set, Match. “. It’s a clever nod to 1980s tennis shoes, even though these shoes are designed for everyday use.

They also recently launched their Ex Sneakers delegation, a modern take on the pair of sneakers that the Japanese team wore at an international sporting event in 1964. They are not just solid sports shoes, but walking shoes comfortable and retain their original design.

The brand began in 1949 when Japanese entrepreneur Kihachiro Onitsuka established Onitsuka Co., Ltd., the precursor to sportswear brand ASICS. It all started with a commitment to promoting the health of young people, and since then, the Onitsuka Tiger Stripes have become the symbol of a sports brand.

Onitsuka has been called the original sneakerhead. Kenichi Harano, Managing Director of the ASICS Institute of Sports Science, recalls the advice he received from the brand’s founding father: “Mr. Onitsuka told me that I shouldn’t be taken for granted”, recalls Harano. “For example, all manufacturers have made the cleats for football boots in a cylindrical shape, but I asked why did they have to be this cylindrical shape? These words then helped to develop innovative products.