Ronnie Fieg has had a masterful career in the fashion industry. Starting from the bottom, in the stockroom at David Z. in New York, we now find Ronnie Fieg here; making his own "what the" styled release commemorating his past work creating collaborations with ASICS. Homage acts as more than just a representation of where Kith's owner's ASICS have been. It is unquestionably more than that. It acts also as a reminder of where sneakers are today and what's yet to come.
Throughout the past decade, we've seen the transition from sneaker enthusiasts getting made fun of for enjoying "old man" ASICS, to where we are now, with nearly every single ASICS collaboration selling out within minutes of their release. I'd argue that we have Ronnie to thank for that.
Each of Ronnie's releases commemorate something special, and in my opinion, no one voices their inspiration quite like he does. He makes an effort to speak to the soul when speaking of his upcoming pieces. He wants his consumers to feel as though they are a part of his vision. He wants them to feel his inspiration.
We are often asked to make nearly impossible decisions, and that's what I will attempt to do here by ranking the 13 shoes that compose the "Homage." But before you read, please understand that this is not a worst-to-best ranking. This is a 1a-to-1m ranking. Each are long-lasting pieces of art for your feet, crafted of impeccable materials. Many of which resonate with sneaker enthusiasts in different ways for varying reasons.
With that being said, here are the rankings.
13. Kith Football Equipment
Released in June of last year, the Kith Football Equipment pack featured a GEL Lyte III in flashy foiled gold with leather sock liner and a GT-II in vibrant blue suede with Brazilian-themed markings. Commemorating the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the KFE pack came with initial surprise releases during the first goal scored in the World Cup (GT-II) and the first American goal scored (GEL Lyte III). Incredibly enough, the American side scored extremely quickly into their opening match which made it seem as though the release correlated with the start of the US match.
12. Miami Beach
Released in May of 2013, the Miami Beach, or "Dolphins," colorway released alongside the New York City (Knicks) colorway of the GEL Lyte III. Perfect for any day in South Beach, this shoe exemplified how you can capture an entire city using only colors and materials. Although it doesn't host the same premium toe box materials as its Knicks counterpart, the Miami's mesh allows for breathability during those hot summer days.
11. Super Green
One of the most sought-after sneakers of all time for both Ronnie Fieg and runner enthusiasts alike, the Super Greens truly never had a release date as they were part of a charitable donation to those in Haiti via Soles for Souls on behalf of Ronnie Fieg and ASICS. Limited to only 300 pairs, the Super Greens are one of the most limited non-Friends and Family shoes that Ronnie has ever created. However, it has been stated that rework of these shoes may be a possibility in the future "the time just has to be right," according to Mr. Fieg.
10. New York City
Being a Knicks fan, it only makes sense that Ronnie released a Knicks-colorway shoe. Of the two pairs in the East Coast Pack (NYC & Miami), the Knicks have the best overall quality of materials as they were meant to be worn in NYC during the winter months of the NBA season. The vibrant orange tones that adorn the lower half of the upper, along with the subtle blue ASICS tiger stripes make this shoe extremely wearable in all seasons without being too over-the-top.
9. Mint Leaf
The Mint Leaf GEL Lyte III is one of RF's most distinct shoes. So much to that point that whenever someone mentions or sees a mint-colored shoe, many immediately turn their thoughts to Ronnie Fieg and this pair. Released in July of 2011 and reinvented as a GEL Lyte V in 2014, the Mint Leaf is the epitome of GEL Lyte IIIs for many sneaker enthusiasts, and it is one of the first shoes that captured the eyes of many outside the runner community.
8. The Cove
Dropping in September of 2010, the Cove is often seen as the predecessor to the Mint Leaf as both feature solid, distinctly-colored uppers. Although it released before the Mint Leaf, the Cove oftentimes does not get the rejoicing praise that it should. The contrasting midsole defined the wearability of this pair, allowing it to be more than just a statement piece. Incredibly, to the delight of many, it was also revamped in 2014 as a GEL Lyte V alongside the Mint Leaf.
7. Nice Kicks 1.0
The Nice Kicks 1.0 truly made a statement, and yes, more than just the incredibly bright red suede that adorns the shoe. These told the sneaker world that Ronnie Fieg was here, and he is here to stay. At the time, Matt Halfhill and Nice Kicks were the largest sneaker blog presence in the US, and Matt and Ronnie agreed to collaborate on this shoe together making the Nice Kicks 1.0. Later, the duo would release the Nice Kicks 2.0 in a more subtle colorway.
6. Selvedge Denim
Even before the streetwear community was widely knowledgable about selvedge denim, Ronnie Fieg was adding it to his arsenal of top-notch materials. Released in December of 2012, the Selvedge Denim colorway allowed for even more diversity in your sneaker wardrobe, even during the harsh winter months. Selvedge denim is known specifically for its ability to adapt and wear with the times while still looking and feeling exquisite. RF gave us a way to do that same thing with our shoes. The Selvedge Denim records the history of your travels, through unique wear patterns.
5. Total Eclipse
Sometimes referred to as the Leather Toes, the Total Eclipse feature suede through the mid and rear of the the shoe and soft leather around the toe. Overshadowed by its predecessor, the Total Eclipse is important to Ronnie's collection of GEL Lyte III designs because it marks his return to the model after nearly a year off while he was developing colorways for other ASICS models. Again, on the Homage release, the Total Eclipse barely gets any love only being represented as the eyestay on the right shoe.
4. Aqua-Navy
Sticking with the underrated theme, the Aqua-Navy GEL Lyte III comes in next on the countdown. Viewed by some (myself included) as one of the most underrated RF releases of all time, the Aqua-Navy is lovely in its subtleties. Its monochromatic coloring allows for this shoes to forever be in style and was truly a switch from the extremely bright, over-the-top colors of the mid-to-late 2000s. The influence of this pair seems to be quite prominent in many of RF's releases thereafter.
3. Flamingo
With the release of the Flamingo, we saw Ronnie truly accept his prominence into sneaker culture. Although these had been made as 1-of-1 samples for him back in 2009, RF decided not to release the shoes until August of 2014 because until that time, he was unsure of how well the distinct colors would be adopted by consumers. Truly inspired by flamingos, this shoe does the perfect job of not standing out but instead being beautiful in its simplicity.
2. Salmon Toe
What might be a surprise to some at number two, the Salmon Toes are arguably the most coveted Ronnie Fieg release of all time. The first shoe ever released at Kith, the Salmon Toes drew all eyes. Ronnie fought for this shoe. ASICS didn't want to make it initially, wondering why he would want to make a pink shoe, but RF eventually prevailed. He's even said that he is not sure what would have become of him and his brand Kith if it wasn't for the release of the Salmon Toes.
1. Leather Back
Leather Backs released only months after Salmon Toes melted down the runner-world, acting as polar opposites of the bright, refreshing pink and navy shoes. Featuring sleek black leather with a deep grey suede toe box. Incredibly diverse and wearable, the pop of electric blue underneath the black ASICS tiger stripes add an additional depth to the shoes. As the first collaboration released at the flagship Kith Manhattan store, the Leather Backs are truly the epitome of Ronnie Fieg and his Kith label.
The Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel-Lyte III Homage releases this Wednesday, December 23, at Kith’s Manhattan and Brooklyn locations, with women’s sizes also available at the new Kith Women store. An online release will occur the same day at 11AM EST on KithNYC.com.
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