Over 60 Years With Onitsuka

Onitsuka Tiger is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – an event of major cultural significance in Japan as for the Japanese, turning 60 is an honour: completing the 60-year 'cycle of life.' This milestone inspired the Japanese sports brand to create an inspirational collection of imagery and interviews aimed at Japan lovers and ‘sports-fashion’ enthusiasts worldwide, presenting the brands’ original sports heritage, its vision and evolution, and its influence as a style icon amongst fashion leaders, artists, athletes and sports fans in Japan, the US and Europe.

The convergence of their ‘sports’ and ‘culture’ ideal was cemented in 2003 when actress Uma Thurman wore a pair of yellow Onitsuka Tiger TAI CHI’s in the Quentin Tarantino movie 'Kill Bill', where the popular film created unprecedented demand for Onitsuka Tiger’s original sports shoes. Having started off as a sports performance shoe brand with a social mission, Onitsuka strived to increase the performance of young basketball players in Kobe, whilst the return of the brand in 2001 was a response to the growing trend for ‘retro’ shoe models and fashion culture had entered the world of sports.

The creative director of the Made of Japan magazine, Sandor Lubbe earned international acclaim in the 1990s with his epic style bible 'Dutch'. Since 2003, he has been publishing the avant-garde Zoo Magazine, together with co-founder, rock star and photographer Bryan Adams. Onitsuka Tiger opted for the creative team of Zoo Magazine to develop Made of Japan due to their international experience, eye for quality, and their extended network of creative talent.

Marketing communication manager for Onitsuka Tiger, Sandra Koopmans says: “To celebrate and honour Onitsuka Tiger’s 60th anniversary, we created a huge ‘Zodiac Race sneaker.’ Being literally ‘Made of Japan', this sneaker island faithfully recreates the Japanese landscape on a shoe. The magazine Made of Japan is made in the same way - showing the Japanese mentality, its bright minds, its cultural pioneers, its historic heroes. The publication builds the bridge between sports, fashion and culture in a way Onitsuka Tiger has always done.”

Made in Japan will be available in a limited edition of 10,000 copies distributed to exclusive shops in Japan, Europe and the USA including Colette (Paris), do you read me?! (Berlin), SPRMRKT (Amsterdam), and Selfridges (London) as well as international airports and railway stations.