Article: ASICS + SneakerLah GEL-Kayano 20 'Ice Kacang'
ASICS + SneakerLah GEL-Kayano 20 'Ice Kacang'
ASICS Sportstyle Malaysia continues to celebrate Malaysian culture through another collaboration with SneakerLAH, this time paying tribute to ice kacang, one of the nation’s most beloved local desserts. This latest collaboration introduces the ASICS GEL-KAYANO™ 20 'Ice Kacang', a fusion of street style, nostalgia, and Malaysian flavour, all wrapped up in a design inspired by the iconic shaved ice treat.
ASICS Sportstyle Malaysia and SneakerLAH have a proud history of creating one-of-a-kind sneakers rooted in Malaysian storytelling. Previous collaborations have resulted in iconic releases like the GEL-KAYANO™ 5 OG 'Nasi Lemak'(2019), the GEL-LYTE™ III 'Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers'(2020), the GEL-LYTE™ III 'Teh Tarik'(2022), and the ASICS SKYHAND™ OG 'MAMEE MONSTER'(2024), all of which encapsulated the spirit of Malaysian culture and resonated deeply with sneaker lovers across the country.
Interestingly, the idea for an ice kacang-inspired sneaker is not a new one. It was first thrown into the concept bank back in 2018, when SneakerLAH and ASICS Sportstyle Malaysia were dreaming up their very first collaboration together. That same concept bank went on to inspire all four collaborations that followed. Now, in 2026, that early idea finally comes full circle with the ASICS GEL-KAYANO™ 20 'Ice Kacang'.
The ASICS GEL-KAYANO™ 20 'Ice Kacang' reimagines the beloved Malaysian dessert piece by piece. The upper comes predominantly in white, nodding to the mountain of shaved ice at the heart of the dessert, layered with rose pink panelling for the rose syrup and yellow accents for the sweet corn (jagung) topping. Its FLUIDFIT™ cage, a criss-cross TPU application across the upper, is designed after the drizzle of evaporated milk. The dual GEL® technology inserts in the midsole take on a green hue in reference to the cendol found in the dessert, while the GUIDANCE TRUSSTIC® support system on the outsole is finished in black to represent the grass jelly. Red bean detailing runs through the lace eyelets and toebox. Rounding out the silhouette is an outdoor-style lace lock system, a nod to the rugged, trail-ready hardware found on outdoor footwear and a first for the collaboration series.
Bryan Chin, Founder of SneakerLAH, shared the thinking behind the release: “We’ve been championing Malaysian storytelling through all our past collabs, and this is no exception. In 2019, we celebrated Nasi Lemak, our national dish. 2020 brought KLCC, our landmark building and the world's tallest twin towers. 2022 was Teh Tarik, our iconic national drink, followed by MAMEE Monster in 2024 – my personal favourite snack growing up. Now in 2026, we’re back with Ice Kacang, one of my favourite local desserts.”
