Asics originated from Onitsuka Tiger, a footwear brand Kihachiro Onitsuka established in 1949. The sportswear company has developed revolutionary footwear features including an outsole inspired by octopus suction cups, ventilation systems for breathability, and a proprietary GEL™ technology to improve shock absorption. Soon enough, Olympic medalists were seen wearing ASICS in athletic events and marathons throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Although the sports equipment brand experienced a downturn from the 1990s, it pivoted to spur innovation and experimentation at its R&D center the Institute of Sport Science and restored its reputation with new model series specifically for running, such as Metaspeed. More recently, the brand launched SportStyle, fusing its performance heritage with street fashion and winning over both key collaborators and younger audiences.