Colour us intrigued! Inspired by the GEL-EXTREME model, ASICS updates a beloved classic, adding a touch of life-‘style’. And thus, the EX89 was born.
What ASICS always excels at is the art of the revamp: taking inspiration from its masterworks, and putting a modern spin on it. With the Jogger X81 it was its own classic jogging shoes, while the GEL-MIQRUM is layered with a love for the brand’s 1990s archive of chunky silhouettes. This time, we’re transported back to 1989 when the ASICS GEL-EXTREME basketball shoes were at their peak. More than thirty years later, the EX89 would emerge, inspired by the colour-blocking that made its ancestor unique in the first place.
For the EX89, ASICS strips back the GEL technology that made the shoes shine on the basketball court. Now reconstructed with a sculpted heel shape and FF BLAST cushioning, the shoes are lighter and more comfortable for everyday wear. But even outside the b-ball court, you can let your love for the sport come through.
Paying tribute to three iconic NBA teams, the EX89 comes in three symbolic colourways: purple and yellow for the Lakers; blue and red for the Knicks; as well as green and black for the Celtics.
Content creators Daniel Cheang and Alvy Joanna both don the EX89 for our January digital cover. And having worn the shoes for the length of the day, it seems that taking them off had been the hardest part.
“It’s the colours for me,” Daniel quips, running a hand over the purple-and-yellow EX89. “It’s very trendy, very timeless, too. The Lakers colours are so iconic, even all across TikTok — because the Lakers are a really big deal. People go out and buy Lakers merch and everything. The design is very striking too, so it will appeal to the young generation. Plus, it’s super comfortable.”
Alvy, who simply couldn’t part with the shoes, is already daydreaming the outfits she can pair the EX89 with. “For me, I want to go extreme,” she says, grinning. “The colours are already extreme, but I wanna take it a step further — maybe style them with a dress. Make it formal and casual at the same time. I think it’s unisex, so you can even change up your look for something more casual. It’s really versatile.”
The EX89 also gets a sweet aesthetic makeover from the GEL-EXTREME. While performance basketball shoes of the ‘80s had white bases, this revamp is constructed with traditional leather and a colour palette that you can’t miss, even from afar.
Like the OG, the EX89’s outsole mirrors the view of a city layout when you look at it from above. The result, much like its predecessor, makes for better traction during quick transitions and abrupt stops on the hardwood.
Colours caught your eye? The EX89 sneakers are now available at ASICS official website HERE at RM429.
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Written by
Puteri Yasmin Suraya
Senior Writer, Features and Tech
Hailing from an English Literature & Creative Writing background, Yasmin has a deep love for fiction and poetry. When she’s not reading or café-hopping, she spends most of her time in the comfort of her own room binge-watching period romances, (badly) belting out show tunes, and curating Spotify playlists to match her mood for the week.
