Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger and Italian luxury house Versace present their Spring Summer 2026 collaboration with a campaign that centers on duality and physical expression. The project launches today and frames the body as a site of energy, strength, and form. The partnership builds on Versace’s ongoing focus on creative exchange, bringing together two distinct design approaches shaped by shared discipline and visual focus.
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Frank Lebon photographs the campaign, directing attention to physical energy and raw presence. His imagery captures a direct sense of force and tension, grounding the collaboration in a visual language tied to action and control. The campaign focuses on the relationship between body and garment, placing emphasis on physical awareness and structure.
Stars of the campaign are Lexee Smith, Alvise Candida, Jordan Santamaria, Nele Jackson, Abuk Yor, and Isaac Powell. In charge of art direction was Lina Kutsovskaya, with styling from Spencer Singer, set design by Lauren Nikrooz, and casting direction by Julia Lange. Beauty is work of hair stylist Shiori Takahashi, and makeup artist Yadim. Director of Photography Jack Webb.
The collaboration first appeared at Versace’s Spring Summer 2026 runway show in Milan, presented as part of Dario Vitale‘s debut collection as Chief Creative Officer. Within this setting, the TAI-CHI model took on a new identity. The design incorporates Italian materials selected for quality and finish, adding a new layer to the original silhouette.
Double stitching reinforces the Onitsuka Tiger stripes, giving the design a sharper structure. Versace’s Medusa appears on the tongue through studded elements, connecting the shoe to the House’s visual language. The upper undergoes a washing or buffing process, creating a worn-in texture that shifts the surface character of the material. The model comes from the Onitsuka Innovative Factory in Tottori, Japan, combining Japanese production methods with Versace’s visual codes.
The presentation also introduced collaboration loafers crafted in Italy. These designs reflect the same exchange between Japanese and Italian approaches, expressed through material choice and construction.
Onitsuka Tiger and Versace will release the collaboration on April 2 through select Versace stores worldwide and online.
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