Ever since they first joined forces back in 2018, Kiko Kostadinov and Asics have enjoyed one of the most exciting and fruitful collaborations in sneakers. The Japanese sportswear giant has long given Kostadinov—one of the wildest, bravest designers working today—free rein to experiment and push the brand in new directions. That’s led to countless galaxy-brain heaters, from high-voltage runners to freaky sci-fi mules. Now, the Bulgarian mastermind has unveiled perhaps his boldest kicks yet: the Kiko Kostidanov x Asics ILARGI FF, complete with a split toe.
While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Kostidanov play with a tabi silhouette—his fall-winter 2025 show featured an eye-catching pair of Asics split-toe slip-ons—the ILARGI FF marks the first to see a public release. The model is actually a cheeky nod to Asics history: Back in 1953, the brand—then still known as Onitsuka Co., Ltd.—released its first-ever running shoe, the Marathon Tabi, which featured a rubber sole, canvas construction, and split-toe design. Now, Kostidanov has pulled that heritage into what might just prove to be one of 2026’s first real It sneakers.
The ILARGI FF features Asics’s signature lightweight FlyteFoam midsole, a technology often utilized in the brand’s more practical road- and trail-running shoes. The performance-friendly base is paired with a simple, no-frills knitted upper, which comes in two simple colorways: a clean all-black version, and a blue spin with black accents.
The Kiko Kostidanov x Asics ILARGI FF is available today, February 23, for $230, via the Kiko Kostidanov stores in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and London, as well as kikokostidanov.com.