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Combining craftsmanship and creativity, Onitsuka Tiger’s line of sneakers made by Japanese artisans are just what you need in your wardrobe
In the sneaker community, few things are more revered than a “Made in Japan” stamp. It’s synonymous with quality, tradition and the notion of human connection achieved through a handmade product. Those are the ideas that lie at the heart of Onitsuka Tiger’s Nippon Made collection.
The line was launched in 2008, six years after Onitsuka Tiger reintroduced itself as a fashion brand. At the time, the Japanese company had gone global largely thanks to Uma Thurman; the Hollywood actress’s badass role in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 hit film, Kill Bill, had inspired fans to emulate her style, right down to her Onitsuka Tiger Tai-Chi sneakers. Onitsuka Tiger made it possible by expanding into Europe, opening up flagship stores in London’s Regent Street, Milan’s Corso Como, Tokyo’s Omotesando district, and most recently, the newly minted and expanded store at Singapore’s Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
Even as it established an international presence, Onitsuka Tiger remained rooted in Japan. Its anchor? While production processes may differ for different shoe styles, for some designs, the birth of these sneakers starts in the remote Tottori prefecture, where the Nippon Made sneakers come to life.
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Each pair tells a story at the hands of Onitsuka Tiger’s Japanese artisans, who cut, sew, polish and assemble the many parts of the shoes with a level of precision and attention that reveal their decades of experience.
The Tottori workshop is also home to state-of-the-art equipment, so technology and time-honoured techniques can come together to create Onitsuka Tiger’s finest shoes—not just for the Nippon Made line, but also as custom designs for professional Japanese athletes and Olympic medalists.
Masterfully crafted, the Nippon Made sneakers are the very definition of luxury. But they’re not meant to be too precious to be lived in, which is where Onitsuka Tiger’s processing factory in Osaka comes in. There, the Nippon Made sneakers are imbued with character as they are individually dyed, washed, painted and treated to take on distinctive appearances.
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