Onitsuka Tiger Brings You A Warm Winter 2011

Don’t worry if another cold winter is on the cards for 2011, as Onitsuka Tiger will make sure you are well prepared with a wide selection of warm winter boots. For less snowy conditions, there is a wonderful choice of dressy styles. And to help you through the darker days, there is a great range of brightly coloured vintage sneakers, too.

SNOW TRAINING

With a name that literally means “snow training”, the first SUNOTORE shoe made its debut when it was worn by the Japanese delegation at the Sapporo Winter Games in 1972. Since then, several functional versions of the design have been released. Inspired by a version launched in 1983, this particular shoe combines several elements from previous SUNOTORE models.

To cope with the harsh winter conditions, SUNOTORE is available with an upper made from warm yet breathable GORE-TEX® material. There is also a version with a mesh base, suede or leather overlays and a sophisticated wool melange ankle section.

SNOW CHRYSTALS

YUKINOWA and SNOW HEAVEN 72 are women’s sneaker boots, both inspired by the SUNOTORE snowshoe, which was developed for the Japanese racing ski team in 1972. They have an extended boot shaft with an attractive fur lining. YUKINOWA is completely new to the market and features laces that can be tied at the front or back for a distinctive and sporty look. The shiny material on the upper and the metal logo add an elegant touch. YUKINOWA means “snow crystal pattern” in Japanese. The SNOW HEAVEN 72 has been successful for a couple of winters and is now also available in children’s sizes.

COMFORTABLE CROSSOVERS

The two basketball-inspired models KOKAKU and WASEN are a cross between real winter boots and more casual footwear. KOHAKU is a sturdy design made from nubuck, and is available in a range of warm wintery colours. It has a simple and clean look and striking tiger logo printed on the ankle, which makes it stand out from other styles. The name means “amber” in Japanese.

WASEN is a cross between a sporty basketball shoe and a casual deck shoe. The moccasin stitch detail on the toe area and raised leather ridge on the heel give the shoe a casual look and feel, while the simple outsole is inspired by the basketball shoe. Made from suede, WASEN features a nylon ankle area that can be playfully folded down to reveal the woollen lining, which also covers the top part of the tongue.

MORE SOPHISTICATION

Onitsuka Tiger is embracing the college trend this winter, by bringing you MEXICO 66 DRESS. This is a new take on MEXICO 66, Onitsuka Tiger’s most recognized style. A special tooling technique means that the stitching is visible where the upper meets the sole. This detailing makes for a chic look characteristic of a leather shoe, and distinguishes it from MEXICO 66. The intricate eyelet area and thin rounded laces add to the sophisticated image.

The MEXICO DX, ULTIMATE TRAINER DX and new MEXICO MIDRUNNER DX models all have a stylish and slim look – adding a touch of sophistication to any outfit. The MEXICO MIDRUNNER DX is particularly striking, with a leather upper embossed in a tiger pattern.

TRUE HERITAGE

Onitsuka Tiger would not be here today if it did not stay true to its heritage. And this is exactly what it’s doing with the vintage executions of the FABRE BL-L and CALIFORNIA 78.

FABRE BL-L is based on a classic basketball shoe from 1975, and is characterized by the innovative slit-cut outsole design, which became a registered trademark of Onitsuka Tiger in the 1970s. The three long cuts running the length of the outsole help improve lateral motion. The name FABRE is derived from the FAstBREak move in basketball.

The CALIFORNIA 78 takes its name from the birth country of jogging. It was the first mesh shoe ever made by Onitsuka Tiger, and one of the masterpieces of the Onitsuka Tiger jogging shoe collection worn during the jogging boom of the 1980s. As jogging in the evening became very popular, the shoe was fitted with a unique feature – a reflector on the heel. The new CALIFORNIA 78 retains the overall design elements of the original shoe with additional special details, such as a metal patch on the outsole and the bear design from the state flag of California.

Just looking at these vintage executions will take you right back to the 1970s.