Mizuno Sportstyle Catalogue AW23

OUR STORY

For a world that prides itself on individual expression, There are moments of intolerance; original is “weird”. So it adapts to conform and the spark is lost.

But some unique souls don’t get fenced in. Fueled by self belief and humble confidence, we persevere and persist.

Why?

Because we trust in ourselves. We trust in our confidence to create. We trust in our values and our heritage. We trust in the power of a community that sets its own expectations and follows its own path.

Experiences tells us we’ve done it once, and we will do it again – however many times, inspired by the traditions of our ancestors. Curious minds know that there’s no such thing as ‘boredom’ in cultural creativity. And that there’s no cultural creativity, without a community to build it.

Tradition & innovation. That’s what it comes down to for the community of Mizuno Sportstyle.

OUR HISTORY

Since 1906, we have been designing and crafting sportswear for sports enthusiasts in Japan and beyond. A country with a history as complex as it is beautiful, Japan and its unique essence is the motivator and influence for Mizuno Sportstyle.

But rather than getting lost in a web of nostalgia, we leverage our learnings and carry forward. For over 100 years, the dynamic progression of combining tradition and innovation has paved our path that we still walk today.

THE VALUES WE RUN ON OUR UNIQUE ESSENCE

What makes us move

We believe in the importance of empowering curious minds for confident self-expression and innovation.

伝統 動機 革新 未来

The future we’re crafting

We envision a world in which tradition and innovation go hand-in-hand to create value and reach for the beyond.

Tradition

Our brand is rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics, values and culture. We find inspiration in simplicity and imperfections – wabi-sabi – believe that family ties should always be strong – kazoku – and know that together, we can work towards continuous improvement on anything we put our minds to kaizen.

Innovation

We embrace culture-based creativity and champion people’s ability to think with imagination and challenge conventions. We respectfully honour the status quo, but by going against the grain, we open up new territories for originality.

仲間 生活

How we bring it to life

We will create space for collaboration and inspiration by creating products that embrace tradition, while challenging ‘norms’.

Community

The balance and respect for all things in and around us is rooted in our social structure and everything we do. We seek constant collaboration with those who share our values and vision. Together, we evolve.

COLLECTION AW23 SEASONAL THEME

Following up on CONSCIOUS and ESCAPE, we keep seeing in the world a deep need for peace of mind. Recent focus on mental health in competition sports are also highlighting this desire to slow down and enjoy present moment.

We saw with FUTURE GARDENS that humanity is building a new relationship with nature as part of an healing process. Nature is the endless source of beauty and inspiration and an open-minding part of the human path.

Outdoor trends still strong. Technical elements get mixed up with 80s and 90s climbing and hiking inspirations. After two years of lockdown, people desire to explore and discover the outside world gets even stronger.

This collection is inspired by search for harmony.

SEARCH AND DISCOVERY

The pandemic has made global impacts across almost every aspect of life. It has provoked new ways of thinking and raised questions about how we live, especially when it comes to work.

Remote-work or taking “work-actions”, is the new standard for many professionals now. This gives us more choices for where we work, and when we work. It gives individuals more autonomy and the chance to exceed on their own timeframe. It also means the line between work and leisure is more ambiguous, since technology allows us to always be connected. We believe in creating a balance to protect and revitalise health, both physically and mentally.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS

Adventure, Outdoors, Nature, Fun, Functional Fashion

ONE OF THE MAIN MARKETING CAMPAIGNS OF THE SEASON:

WAVE PROPHECY BETA 2

This sneaker is a new addition to the family and is a tribute to Mizuno Running. Its creative roots lie in the genderless design, timeless nostalgia and legacy of craftsmanship. The design is inspired by architecture and also fashion apparel. It blurs the lines between high fashion, innovative running and a futuristic aesthetic. Premium leathers and suedes compliment a more technical mesh base. The ‘high frequency direct bounding’ is a nod to our innovative identity.

TECH-ADVANCED LINE

Wave Prophecy ß2 Wave Mujin TL GTX Wave Rider 10

Represent most innovative silhouettes, illustrating the decades of research and development of Mizuno footwear division. All three packs have variations, reflecting different eras and fields of Mizuno’s technical experience. The trend shows that people want style and function and a greater connection with the outdoors. This collection embodies these elements.

CASUAL SNEAKER LINE

Contender

S

These styles are the ‘classic’ sneakers. The focus here will be on the styling, to show how easy these sneakers are to wear and combine.

RETRO COURT LINE

City Wind Premium City Wind S City Wind Mid

CASUAL PREMIUM LINE

Wave Rider ß Sky Medal ß Wave Rider 10 Premium Sky Medal Premium Contender Premium

This section showcases a wide diversity of materials, finishes and details, representing our tradition and qualitative craftsmanship. These are the most premium executions for these styles. We combine premium suede and textured leathers, hairy suede and woven canvas. Mostly tonal colours with light contrast.

Tennis heritage is coming back in the lifestyle world and we’ll be showing this in our styling and content. We bring it to life in three strong offers.

Kosei means ‘individuality’ in Japanese. It suggests an open and curious mind with a desire to contribute to the world, but also to herself as an individual. This pack showcases the creativity of these unique souls.

KIZUNA PACKS

As with previous seasons, our AW23 collection includes strong product packs each with a deep background story to tell.

NIKKAPOKKA

CONCEPT

KIZUNA PACK

Workwear, Pride, Denim, Ikigai

Inspired by the Nikkapokka workwear from Japan, this design pack is aimed at our top tier Sneaker retailers. The Nikkapokka pants are designed to be both functional and fashionable, a garment that symbolises pride in the wearer’s work.

Denim and corduroy are typical workwear materials, whereas suede adds a premium touch to the shoes. We’ve also added some purple and green accents to reflect the colours from authentic Japanese construction sites.

SHOES

PRODUCT DETAILS

This statement sneaker is one for true sneakerheads who will notice all the cool details. There is a bold sprayed outsole and laces with reflective yarn. We also added a woven “SAFETY FIRST” label, a sign found at all construction sites in Japan.

KINTSUGI

KIZUNA PACK

Patchwork, Craftmanship, Broken Art, Leftovers

CONCEPT

For the more casual audience and as a follow-up of Japanese Food Streets and Ceremony of Tea, we’re releasing in AW23 the Kintsugi pack.

The Kintsugi pack is inspired by the philosophy of wabi-sabi, as Kintsugi is the reparation of broken pottery. Wabi-sabi is a belief that imperfection is important, inspiring and beautiful. Craftsmanship is also integral to our brand identity. The idea that things deserve a second life and that we can always learn and improve is clear in this pack.

SHOES Contender

Wave Rider 10

PRODUCT DETAILS

In terms of design the Contender and Wave Rider 10 are dressed with soft contrasted neutrals premium suedes executions.

KIZUNA PACK

Van Life, Adventure, Fareway, Climbers

CONCEPT

This season, we’re pushing our most technical silhouettes dressed in a premium, yet sophisticated colour story. This pack is inspired by the highlands of Iceland and the valley of Yosemite Park. Nomad is a journey in the peaceful outdoors, and a tribute to a destiny of free spirits. To those who travel the world to find themselves spiritually.

SHOES

PRODUCT DETAILS

Inspired by the black soils of Iceland’s Highlands, the colours of this pack reflect the untamed beauty and roughness of nature.

We combine hairy suedes and technical woven materials, with few colour accents and a unique marble midsole effect on the Wave Rider ß. All insoles display a hilly landscape and a custom “cairn” logo.

CARRY-OVER

A selection of core styles that have performed well in previous seasons and are key drivers for the markets.

LAUNCH CALENDAR

HEAD OFFICE

MIZUNO ITALIA

VIALE RISORGIMENTO 20 10092 BEINASCO (TO) ITALY emea.mizuno.com/sportstyle