Adidas 'Gatsin' sneaker is inspired by Korean aristocrats

Adidas Korea released a new sneaker, Gazelle Gatsin, inspired by the leather shoes traditionally worn by Korean aristocrats. The shoe is part of the company's 'City of Seoul' project.

The new ″Gazelle Gatsin″ collection [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Adidas Korea released a Korean-inspired sneaker, called “Gazelle Gatsin,” on Thursday.

The newly released shoes were inspired by the gatsin, a traditional Korean leather shoe worn by aristocrats in the past. The shoes were designed to be functional with an oil coating, making them wearable even when the ground was wet.

The new Gazelle sneaker line features a black and white reinterpretation of the original patterns often seen on the toe of traditional gatsins.

The sneaker is the first launch of the brand’s “City of Seoul” project this year, which aims to capture Korean history, culture and fashion in various products.

The creative process behind the Gazelle Gatsin began with discovering the commonalities between the emotions and cultures of different historical periods. The brand found that aristocrats were known to live relaxed lifestyles, which served as a starting point for the collection.

The new collection is a result of the brand's efforts to capture the essence of the lifestyle of aristocrats, who would escape the busy world by engaging themselves in different cultures and arts, which helped them cultivate their inner selves.

The product will be available in offline stores, including the Adidas Brand Flagship Seoul, Adidas Gangnam Brand Center and Adidas Originals Flagship Garosugil. Customers can also purchase them via Adidas’s online store and the company's app Adidas Confirmed.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]