Acclaimed Fashion Brands in Asia

ESTABLISHED

1949

JAPAN Onitsuka Tiger

With hopes of raising post-war youth self-esteem through athletics, former military officer Kihachiro Onitsuka established Onitsuka Tiger in 1949. The company’s breakthrough product was a basketball shoe, released in 1951, that was inspired by the tentacles of an octopus, since its suction cup soles allowed players to acquire a better grip as they manoeuvred. In 1953, the company worked with Japanese marathon runner Toru Teresawa in developing a shoe that would prevent long-distance runners from developing blisters. Ahead of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Onitsuka Tiger introduced its distinctive crossed stripes design on the “Mexico 66” shoe. The design became the signature element of the ASICS brand, which was formed when Onitsuka Tiger merged with Japanese sporting goods makers GTO and Jelenk in 1977.

KIHACHIRO ONITSUKA