The running subculture is gaining back in popularity as Nike pushes forward more Gyakusou goodness in the form of 2 shoes, the Vaporfly 4%, and the Pegasus Turbo. Both of which look very appealing in the urban setting. We’ll get to those in a bit.
For those who aren’t in the know, Gyakusou is Nike’s subdivision comprised of runners lead by Undercover designer, Jun Takahashi. While previously an outlet to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep himself fit, running now has become a lifestyle for Jun, completing at least 10Ks at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo where he stays. The term Gyakusou means reversed running in Japanese, as Jun often found himself running in the opposite direction as the other runners.
Choosing these two silhouettes then, is the perfect step up from Gyakusou’s previous collection, the standalone Nike Zoom Fly SPs which featured a crossbones motif on the lateral side and Gyakusous labelling on the midsole. According to Nike’s running hierarchy, the Pegasus Turbo is your training shoe, to help you in the days leading up to your race day, which then you will lace the Vaporfly 4% for maximum performance with no compromises, whatsoever.
Technical specifications remain the same, with the exception of the Pegasus Turbo having been upgraded to include lace-locks for easy entry and exit with additional smatterings of 3M on the upper for extra visibility during night time sessions.
The colour palette however, differentiates the Gyakusou collab from the normal line of shoes. As Nike continues to pushes very energetic, bright colourways, Jun takes a different approach to that philosophy. “Since the very beginning, I’ve made the Gyakusou color palette to blend well with both the urban and natural landscape using neutral colors. I intentionally include earthy colors and the traditional colors of Japan,” said Jun.
The Vaporfly 4% and Pegasus Turbo retail for RM 1020 and RM 739 respectively, on 28th Feb at Nike.com. Serious performance commands a serious price, but what you get is what you pay for. Ready to lace up and run?
