First Look at VandyThePink’s Asics “Vanilla” and “Chocolate” GEL-Kayano 12.1, Coming Soon

UPDATE 7/20/26: After a reveal last month, we now have a closer look at both the “Vanilla” and “Chocolate” colors of VandythePink’s Asics GEL-Kayano 12.1 pack. The new photos come from the inimitable sneaker photographer @ad_sneaks, who received both pairs early, ahead of their August 8th release.

ORIGINAL STORY:

VandyThePink has come a long way from custom sneakers. This season, he is ready to reprise his Asics partnership, doubling down on the ice cream theme for the GEL-Kayano 12.1

One of the hottest Asics collaborations of last year came from a first-time partner, VandyThePink. The artist and designer got his start customizing sneakers with doodles, eventually landing on food and pop culture themes for his customs, like the “Burger” Dunk replicas. Vandy’s style quickly became popular, especially during the pandemic era when we all had much more time to consume social media and amplify smaller creators. His first official footwear collaboration came in 2022 with Clarks, before releasing burger-themed Salomons in 2024.

Last year, Vandy made his Asics debut with two pairs of the GEL-Kayano 12.1 inspired by ice cream shops, offering flavors in banana split & strawberry. After teasing a follow-up earlier this year, we finally have an official look at the next flavor on offer from Vandy and Asics. The “Vanilla” colorway mixes cream mesh base layers with a metallic silver overlay, adding pale shades of yellow accents to emphasize the vanilla theme. Mint green and bright pink hits appear throughout the shoes, either referencing other popular ice cream flavors or acting like colored sprinkles on top of a scoop. This pair will be accompanied by a “Chocolate” colorway, though that look has not surfaced yet.

VANDYTHEPINK X ASICS GEL-KAYANO 12.1 “VANILLA” RELEASE INFORMATION

After making their collaborative debut last year, VandyThePink and Asics are ready to deliver their follow-up project, more GEL-Kayano 12.1 colorways, in July. Neither partner has made an official announcement yet, but Italian retailer Sivesdescalzo has the “Vanilla” colorway scheduled for July 1st, 2026. The pair features a mix of cream, soft yellow, and chrome for the main body, with pastel shades of pink and green mixed in. Pricing is set at $250 at SVD, though this could be due to the Euro to USD conversion as well as tariffs. Stay tuned for more info.

VANDYTHEPINK x ASICS GEL-KAYANO 12.1 “Vanilla”
Color: Antique White
Style Code: 1203B302-100
Release Date: August 8th, 2026
Price: $250

VANDYTHEPINK x ASICS GEL-KAYANO 12.1 “Chocolate”
Release Date: August 8th, 2026
Price: $250

Check out the official images below, and stay tuned to JustFreshKicks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more of the latest sneaker news, release dates, and restock alerts.