New sneakers proclaim your patriotism

Cofounder of Commonwealth PH,Michael Concepcion, holding a Kultura GEL-Lyte V collaborative sneaker

 

Popular Japanese footwear brand Asics has collaborated with Commonwealth, a Filipino-owned streetwear boutique, to create a patriotism-inspired shoe for discerning sneakerphiles.

The shoes, named Kultura, integrates native Filipino tribal art in the design aesthetic of the iconic Asics sneakers, the GEL-Lyte V. The line features designs derived from intricate tribal body art called batok.

The batok style of body art has been experiencing a resurgence of late, due to the popularity of Filipino tattoo artist Whang-od Oggay. A native of Buscalan, Kalinga, Whang-od is the oldest tattoo artist in the Philippines, and is considered the last mambabatok (Kalinga tattooist) among the Butbut people in Buscalan.

 

The Kultura GEL-Lyte V collaborative sneaker features “batok”-inspired artwork.

Tradition

“We wanted to honor the thousand-year-old tradition of the mambabatok with our Kultura GEL-Lyte V collaborative sneakers,” says Michael Concepcion, cofounder of Commonwealth PH. “We wanted to show the world the richness and uniqueness of Filipino culture. This collaboration is a celebration of Filipino culture.”

Concepcion points out that this is the first time a Filipino-owned streetwear boutique has collaborated with a multinational sneaker brand. “It’s a dream come true for me. The collaboration is an amazing opportunity for us to showcase the Philippines to the world,” he adds.

The Kultura GEL-Lyte V sneakers has a beige overall color design aesthetic. It features a gel-cushioned midsole, a breathable mesh vamp, and a sublimated print mono sock-tongue.

Batok-inspired designs are strewn proudly all over the shoes.

The Kultura GEL-Lyte V sneakers will be available not only in the Philippines, but worldwide, as well. The limited-edition sneakers will be sold exclusively at all Commonwealth retail locations in the Philippines, while international buyers will find this rare gem at Asics Tiger retailers around the globe. —CONTRIBUTED

 

The Commonwealth PH showroom in SM Aura, featuring the Kultura GEL-Lyte V collaborative sneakers

 

 

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