ASICS is partnering with Distance, a French retailer specialising in running, for a capsule collection inspired by Iten, a Kenyan town renowned for its running community. According to FashionUnited France, the capsule reportedly includes 16 textile pieces for men and women, a figure also put forward by another source, though this does not constitute independent cross-confirmation.
The project reportedly originates from a long-standing personal connection between Guillaume Pontier, co-founder of Distance, and athletics and Kenya. His father, Jean-François Pontier, coached some of France's best middle- and long-distance athletes for decades. It was while accompanying him to Iten that Guillaume Pontier reportedly discovered the town and its running community, according to FashionUnited France.
These ties later led Distance to open a permanent shop in Iten in 2022. L'adresse has reportedly since become, thanks to local expertise, a meeting point for the running community there.
A design drawn from the local landscape
The collection's design is inspired by the red earth and sky of Iten, as well as the painted facades and textures of local houses, including the town's Distance shop. Most of the performance pieces are reportedly reworked versions of ASICS' premium Metarun range. The capsule is reportedly rounded out by the new Novablast 6 running shoe, which reportedly carries the collaboration's colour palette across all the pieces.
« Courir à Iten est indissociable du lieu lui-même, de la terre rouge et de la clarté du soleil aux rituels partagés qui entourent chaque session », says Alistair Keys, design director at ASICS, who describes a mission aimed at « des athlètes de classe mondiale aux coureurs débutants ».
For Guillaume Pontier, « Iten est bien plus qu'un simple tableau d'inspiration pour nous. C'est un lieu fondé sur les relations, la générosité et un engagement profond et quotidien pour la course à pied. »
According to FashionUnited France, the collection is reportedly set to launch on 10 October 2026 and will be available from that date in Distance shops worldwide, on ASICS' online shop and at a selection of partner retailers. This would be the first collaboration between the two companies.
