Key Details
Style Code: 1203B038-001Release Date: June 12, 2026
- The Griff x Asics GEL-Cumulus 16 marks the British pop star's first sneaker collaboration, drawing inspiration from ballet aesthetics.
- The GEL-Cumulus 16 originally launched in 2014 as a performance running shoe before becoming a popular collaborative canvas in 2025.
- The pair features a black and grey colorway with patent leather overlays, semi-translucent mesh underlays, and frilly ribbon details on the tongue and heel.
Asics has built a strong stable of collaborative partners over the past decade. This week, they have a new addition to their growing family, teming up with British popsstar Griff for a special release of the GEL-Cumulus 16.
WHO IS GRIFF?
Griff is a young English singer, who got her start in 2019 with the release of her debut single, “Mirror Talk”, following up later that year with a full extended play of the same name. Since then she has released plenty more music, including a debut mixtape in 2021, and her full studio album debut in 2024, which climbed the UK’s albums chart to peak at number three. Along the way, she won a Brit Award in their Rising Star category, becoming one of the youngest winners ever at just twenty years old.
THE HISTORY OF THE GEL-CUMULUS 16
Asics’ sixteenth entry in the GEL-Cumulus line launched in 2014, designed as a premium option for long-distance running shoes. The model’s construction featured an open-mesh underlay for breathability, using new-sew paneling in combination with glossy, synthetic overlays to provide structure to key points across the silhouette. The model was more of a reliable workhorse than a fashion statement, and was shelved to make way for the Cumulus 17 by 2018. Asics returned to the 2010s model in early 2025, tapping Cecillie Bahnsen to assist in the model’s return, and has stuck around into 2026, becoming one of their most popular collaborative canvasses.
GRIFF’S TAKE ON THE GC-16
The latest collaborative pair of the Cumulus 16 brings a dark color palette to the runner, combined with some subtle ballet-inspired details for a unique new look. The shoe’s underlay material has been swapped from the usual diamond-gauge mesh for a thinner textile, which appears semi-translucent for the midfoot and toe areas, where there is no extra padding added. The no-sew overlays come in black, and the outermost layer come in a glossy patent leather black finish. Tongues and laces are applied in white, and both the tongue and heel counter add a frilly ribbon detail for that ballet-inspired look.
GRIFF X ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 16 RELEASE INFORMATION
The new partnership between British pop star Griff and Asics will debut this week, on June 12th, 2026. Griff’s first release will feature the GEL-Cumulus 16 runner in a black and grey build, adding frilly ribbon accents along the tongue. Pairs will be available through the Asics website and select retailers, with pricing expected to be around $180.
Griff x ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16
Style Code: 1203B038-001
Release Date: June 12th, 2026
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