When the collaboration between Cecilie Bahnsen and ASICS was unveiled on the runway at Paris Fashion Week Fall 2024, it was immediately clear that the sneakers were feminine and playful. The chunky sneakers in shades of black, cherry red, and metallic bronze were adorned with dainty 3D flowers.

This is a far cry from how Bahnsen sees sneakers. The designer has always considered sneakers an essential part of a woman's wardrobe, even if they are embellished, and they blend perfectly with the layers of floaty chiffon and lace throughout her creations. This is the most unisex sneaker I've worked with Asics on, and it's my favorite."

Bernsen's latest Asics sneakers, her second collaboration with the footwear brand, premiered in a collection titled “The Bite” (meaning apple), which explored themes of love, strength, and desire. It also brought out “the darker side of romance and different ways of expressing the femininity of a more mature woman,” she says. The brand may have grown, but their shoes remain girlie.

Literally, according to Bahnsen, each shoe is inspired by a different type of girl. The black sneakers represent the inner romantic. Brown sneakers are “subtle earth tones,” perfect for mature women. The loud cherry red shade is for the typical Danish dresser. They didn't make the runway, but they are her favorite. She says, “There's a real Copenhagen style styling playfulness [in that pair] that's really exciting.”

When asked how the Danish brand and ASICS came together, Bahnsen tells me it was a “perfect match” from the start. According to her, the bond was formed because both brands specialize in best-in-class craftsmanship in their respective fields. The sportswear brands also understand what Bahnsen calls the “daily couture” Danish approach to dressing, a tactic that incorporates high-level design into everyday rotation.

“You can put on a dress, put on a pair of sneakers, jump on a bike or something,” she says.

This energy crosses over with the New York approach to dressing. Bernsen leaned into this shared mindset at this season's New York Fashion Week, opening the brand's first U.S. pop-up in downtown Manhattan to celebrate the new Asics sneakers.

Judging by the buzz in the lower levels of the store on the evening of September 6, the transcontinental approach has captivated the fashion set in the US. We no longer need to travel to Copenhagen Fashion Week to buy over-the-top sneakers and dresses to match them.

The Cecilie Bahnsen x ASICS Gel-Terrain sneakers will be available on October 16 on the ASICS and Cecilie Bahnsen websites.