Lucky Seven: Onitsuka Tiger X Tomohisa Yamashita

The seventh and final stage of the Japanese brand’s anniversary celebrations sees the singer and actor put his spin on the RINKAN boot

There are two types of people in the world, those who save the best for last and those who do just the opposite. It seems Onitsuka Tiger belongs to the first category. The sportswear expert has just unveiled the seventh and final stage of its 70th anniversary celebrations, which sees the brand join forces with singer and actor Tomohisa Yamashita on a capsule of footwear.

The star of the collaboration is the RINKAN boot, reimagined by Yamashita according to his favourite motto, “Go Forward”, which expresses the positive mindset of always looking forward. The phrase also symbolises the indefatigable attitude of Onitsuka Tiger in its pursuit of excellence over the past seven decades and into the future.

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The shoes are rendered in all-white nubuck, with reflective rope laces in shades of grey, red, and white. Deceivingly simple, the devil really is in the details. The high-cut silhouette is exaggerated by an additional 3cm, while a rubber part is added to the area around the heel, giving the design a more rugged flair than the original. The letters “GWFD”, short form for “Go Forward”, are stamped on the insole as well as the bottom of the shoe.

Each pair of RINKAN boots is enclosed in a specially designed shoebox, inspired by the vivid blooms of the Delonix Regia tree. A graphic of the red flowers is printed on the box, in contrast to the white of the shoes within, evoking the colours of the Japanese flag.

The Onitsuka Tiger x Tomohisa Yamashita collection will be available from 26 December onwards at the Onitsuka Tiger Jewel Changi and Takashimaya S.C. boutiques.