Fashion
ASICS x SneakerLAH GEL-KAYANO 20 "Ais Kacang" Turns a Malaysian Dessert Into a Sneaker
Malaysia's SneakerLAH convention and ASICS reimagine the GEL-KAYANO 20 as the shaved-ice dessert ais kacang, in white and rose pink with yellow accents. An online raffle ran in early October, followed by sales at the LahLahLand event on October 10–11.
By NBT Editors · 2026-10-22
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SneakerLAH, Malaysia's annual sneaker and streetwear convention, has teamed up with ASICS once more, this time on the GEL-KAYANO 20. The shoe is styled after ais kacang, the shaved-ice dessert that Malaysians eat with syrup and toppings. Official posts call it "AIS KACANG"; press coverage uses "Ice Kacang."
The design maps the dessert onto the shoe. The mostly white upper stands in for the mound of shaved ice, rose-pink panels reference the rose syrup poured over it, and yellow accents nod to sweet corn, known locally as jagung. In the official photos, the upper fades from white into pink, the collar and lining are bright yellow, and green GEL units show in the midsole. The insole carries a pink, splotchy print. According to Sneaker Freaker, the usual "GEL" lettering on the heel is replaced with "LAH," the only SneakerLAH branding on the pair.
The partnership between SneakerLAH and ASICS dates to 2018, and their earlier projects have drawn on Malaysian food and landmarks, including the GEL-KAYANO 5 "Nasi Lemak" and the GEL-LYTE III "Teh Tarik." Both Sneaker Freaker and The Kickz Stand report that the ice kacang idea was first put into the concept bank in 2018, while the two were developing their first project together, so the shoe took about eight years to arrive.
The release followed two steps. An online raffle on SneakerLAH.com ran from October 5 and closed on October 6 at 23:59 Malaysia time, with winning pairs shipping after October 13. Remaining pairs were sold at LahLahLand on October 10–11 at MIECC (Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre). The official post says sales began at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis at the ASICS | SneakerLAH booth by the entrance, and ONE ASICS members received a free ais kacang with a shoe purchase.
This is a Malaysian release, and no New York sales are reported. It is a Japanese brand working with a Southeast Asian convention on a local dish.
(Details are drawn from points that agree across reports by Sneaker Freaker, The Kickz Stand.)
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