This season, adidas and Yohji Yamamoto continue to subvert sporting codes with the introduction of the stripped back Y-3 KYASU sneaker. First unveiled on the runway during Yohji Yamamoto’s presentation at Paris Fashion Week in March 2023, the Y-3 KYASU is a raw, minimalist, expression of the intersection between adidas’ sporting heritage and the Japanese designer’s renegade approach.
Beginning as an attempt by the Y-3 design team to create a shoe that resembled an adidas Superstar cast in concrete, the Y-3 KYASU, seeks to challenge the conventions of footwear design. The boundary-pushing silhouette itself features a decidedly minimal construction comprising only a rubber shell-toe, an exaggerated PU midsole, a suede upper, and laces. Lacking an insole or strobel, the upper is stitched directly onto the soft, lightweight, midsole, for a stark and brutal yet expressive look.
With an entirely collapsible upper and due to its thick, brick-esque outsole, the Y-3 KYASU can be stood vertically – offering a striking silhouette that viscerally encapsulates Yohji’s avant-garde design vision.
A fearless exercise in minimalist design, the Y-3 KYASU arrives in both a high and a low cut execution, and is available globally at adidas.com/y-3, on Confirmed, in store, and through select retailers.
