Written by Sean Ho
The existence of Gyakusou here is slightly veiled under a thin shroud of mystery, as people are vaguely aware of its existence, but don’t exactly know what it actually is. And with the release of the Gyakusou X Nike running gear, we’re here to clear up the confusion.
For starters, anything in the Gyakusou line is meant for serious running. Even more so than “running is love, running is life” motto that you cheekily label yourself as you go on a meager 5k before tapping out. No, to justify the price tag that both brands have placed on it, running should be almost second nature to your livelihood. Much like the founder of Gyakusou, Jun Takahashi did.
The story then, begins when Jun Takahashi was approached by Nike to establish a performance running line. He was ‘uninspired’ by what he saw in running stores, and it was a perfect opportunity to ‘redesign’ running apparel and footwear with Nike. For the Undercover founder, running keeps a rhythm to his weekly routine and acts as a form of therapy. He runs every other day around his local park in Tokyo, where Takahashi resides. Everyone runs clockwise around the park, but he does it anti-clockwise, hence the conception of the name, Gyakusou, which means ‘reverse running’ in Japanese.
For its 10 year mark, Undercover founder Jun Takahashi and Nike stacked details primarily in black and dark colour tones for Gyakusou‘s Spring/Summer 2019 collection.
Featuring two designs of jackets with different functions, beginning with the Nike Gyakusou Transform. This 2-in-1 jacket is designed to be wind and water resistant, the short-sleeve outer shell that can be removed to reveal a long sleeve top that features a Dri-FIT Technology to help you stay dry. Its breathable design helps keep you cool during your run as well.
The Nike Gyakusou Jacket looks a little more subtle, but still retains its function.This Jacket’s materials made for optimal performance. Its 100% polyester construction keeps you dry when running in a less than ideal weather.
Gyakusou Tech Knit is no different to your ordinary Nike combat leggings, only with a little bit of a Gyakusou spin to it. The dry fit material helps you stay dry when running as well, also, featuring an easy access pocket to store your belongings when running.
The collection is now available on nike.com at a price of RM1,189, RM495, RM425 respectively.
