The Asics Gel Lyte II LE | Kiko Kostadinov Expands His Collection Of Inline ASICS With The HN2-S PROTOBLAST

It’s sad to think we may never see Kiko Kostadinov‘s name on another ASICS shoe. Back in 2020, the Bulgarian designer’s “official collaboration” with the Japanese footwear brand effectively came to an end, replaced by an inline collection under the “Sportstyle” flag. And these offerings, though yet to rival the GEL-Burz or Kiril, are unique in their own right, often blending together multiple silhouettes.

Not many weeks ago, as he begun preparations for his Autumn/Winter ’22 show, Kostadinov teased on-foot images of his newest inline offering. Dubbed the HN2-S PROTOBLAST, the shoe is an amalgamation of different influences. Most notably, it borrows the toe box of the GELHOOP V6 and the sole of the NOVABLAST, the latter of which served as the canvas for AFFIX’s own collaboration back in 2020. And though the profile may bridge the two aforementioned fixtures, the design belongs to neither model, opting for a seemingly original, gloss-finished assembly.

Currently, four different colorways of the HN2-S PROTOBLAST are on the way. If similar to releases past, two will be available exclusively in women’s sizing. Below, you can take a look at the entire capsule, which is set to release in the next few days. According to Japanese sources, a release date will take place February 4th; AFEW in the EU, however, has the “Aquatic” colorway at February 2nd.

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