Designer Fidan Novruzova teams up with ASICS SportStyle on a new take of the GEL-CUMULUS™ 16 sneaker under her “Crafts for Mind” initiative. She customises the silhouette with hand-worked leather, a tasselled tongue and classic shoemaking techniques that reference her signature footwear and leather accessories. The design uses exactly the same premium leather materials from her own label.
The shoe arrives in two versions, Dark Cherry and Black, both featuring a square-cut tongue and a long leather tassel that falls over the laces. The details echo Novruzova’s sculptural approach to footwear while preserving the recognisable GEL-CUMULUS base and cushioning system beneath. The leather is cut, shaped, and assembled by the same makers responsible for her signature boots, reinforcing the project’s focus on material craft rather than surface-level branding.
ASICS first introduced the GEL-CUMULUS as a high-mileage running model, built around its proprietary GEL cushioning. Novruzova keeps the technical sole intact but shifts the upper into the terrain of artisanal footwear, creating a hybrid between performance design and studio-made construction. The release is limited to 100 pairs, available exclusively through the designer’s online shop.
Part of every sale supports the Fondation pour la Recherche sur l’Endométriose, which funds research and public awareness surrounding the condition. Endometriosis affects an estimated two out of ten women of reproductive age, and the collaboration directs revenue toward expanding medical understanding and resources.
The project extends Novruzova’s exploration of craft within contemporary fashion and marks her first sneaker partnership. It also introduces a new reading of the GEL-CUMULUS silhouette, placing leatherwork and hand finishing at the forefront while keeping ASICS’ movement-driven design language visible in structure and form.
