Explainer / Why stars and sneakerheads alike love Onitsuka Tiger: Asics’ original Mexico trainer graces the feet of Prince William, Hailey Bieber and Uma Thurman with her Bruce Lee-inspired look in Kill Bill
- Kihachiro Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Tiger in 1949, inspired by the Latin motto ‘anima sana in corpore sano’ – ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ – which in 1977 led to the company name Asics
- The Onitsuka Tiger brand was relaunched in 2002 and is experiencing another revival, with everyone from Prince William to Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber seen sporting Mexico 66 sneakers
The brand’s Japanese founder Kihachiro Onitsuka firmly believed that an active lifestyle can improve lives, according to Asics’ website. Sport, Onitsuka felt, is a common thread bringing people together, and physical activity has the power to unite communities and create a sense of camaraderie.
In 1949, he founded his namesake brand Onitsuka Tiger, inspired by the Latin motto anima sana in corpore sano, which translates to “a sound mind in a sound body”. He was determined to inspire positivity in the youth of post-war Japan, according to the brand’s website.
The Latin maxim would become Onitsuka Tiger’s guiding philosophy and an important part of its transition into a fully fledged sportswear brand.
From the get-go, Onitsuka Tiger trainers were designed with both function and style in mind, since Onitsuka himself was adamant about capturing a young generation of Japanese consumers.
Mention Onitsuka Tigers to sneakerheads, and chances are the first image that comes to their minds is the white leather shoe accented with blue and red stripes on the side, completed with a rubber sole. The Limber-Up trainer – better known by fans as the Mexico trainer, as its launch coincided with the pregame events of the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games – carries a similar silhouette and design as the Onitsuka Tiger trainers we know and love today.
