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Since the dawn of sneaker history, regional exclusive colorways have always been a thing. While these types of country-specific releases can be almost impossible to cop, especially when you live on the other side of the world, it's one of the many reasons why the sneaker game is as fun as it is. Imagine you could buy all of your favorite sneakers from the comfort of your own home. There would be no thrill of the chase and your holy grail just wouldn't be as, well... holy. With that said, this Trendy Tuesday, we're going to take a look back at some of the best Asia exclusive sneakers ever made. From limited edition Air Force 1s to ultra rare Air Jordans, you need to check these out!
If you think of any other Asia exclusives that you think should have been added to this list, make sure to let us know over on Instagram, and don't forget to follow us as well for the best content that the Asian sneaker community has to offer!
Back in 2018, Tinker Hatfield and Dan Sunwoo dropped the very special Air Jordan 3 Retro "Seoul." Celebrating Michael Jordan's slam dunk contest victory in 1988 and commemorating 30 years since the South Korean capital hosted the Olympic Games, this was a must-cop for SK sneakerheads. Inspired by the Taegukgi, the white pebbled base is contrasted by tones of red and blue, while elephant print wraps around the toe and heel. "Seoul" in hangul is written on the left tongue, while the '88 Summer Games’ motto "Harmony and Progress" features on the other one.
Three years ago, Ronnie Fieg celebrated the opening of his Shibuya flagship with the Kith x Nike Air Force 1 "Tokyo." A subtle nod to CO.JP releases from the early '00s, these Forces are packed with a ton of cool details that you would expect from the NYC streetwear imprint. Kith monogramming is debossed across the lateral and medial sidewalls, while the Air midsole underfoot has been slightly yellowed for a pre-aged aesthetic. It's then finished with a fiery red velvet sockliner for an even more premium look and feel.
In the early '00s, Jordan Brand had a habit of releasing ultra hyped colorways that were only available to the Japanese market, and the Air Jordan 1 High OG CO.JP "Midnight Navy" was one of them. Debuted in 2001, the white leather base was contrasted with deep navy suede and a metallic silver Swoosh. They also arrived with a special winged basketball logo around the ankle. While sneakerheads outside of Japan watched in dismay, the highly-coveted AJ1 finally received a global re-release 19 years later in 2020.
Nike is certainly no stranger when it comes to CNY-inspired sneakers. In fact, the Beaverton brand went above and beyond with the Nike Air Max 1 Premium EP "Longevity." Taking design cues from traditional porcelain bowls, each leather panel has been intricately detailed with a variety of motifs and patterns that perfectly represent the Chinese art. This is all done up in patent leather as a nod to the glaze used in ceramics, and painted in a vibrant palette. Of course, you can't talk about this China-only AM1 without mentioning the characters stamped across the pink mudguard, each one symbolizing luck, prosperity, longevity, happiness, and wealth.
During the height of Human Race NMD hype in 2018, Pharrell unleashed the Pharrell x adidas NMD Hu "China Pack." Comprising of a total of four colorways, each one represented the four natural elements, including water, metal, fire, and wood, with "Peace," "Happiness," "Passion," and "Youth" embroidered across the Primeknit uppers. While these China-only sneakers were already extremely limited to begin with, the "Gold" was definitely the most exclusive pair. Equipped with gold-plated EVA plugs, less than a 1,000 were made.
