Onitsuka Tiger Just Made a Principal Dancer Out of Its Simplest Sneaker
Onitsuka Tiger's take on a sneakerina isn't really much of a sneaker at all. Meet the Gymnarina.
After dominating turnouts and grand jetés, ballerinas are taking over the sneaker industry as well.
The latest inductee into this hybrid house of madness? Onitsuka Tiger's Gymnarina.
Now, to its credit, the Gymnarina is more of a classic ballet flat than a sneaker, especially compared to its sneakerina counterparts like Jordan's absurdly on-pointe ballet sneaker or Crocs' mountainous ballet Mary Jane hybrid.
Compared to those commingled flats, the Gymnarina is ready to take its place as principal dancer. Ok, so maybe not literally, but this shoe is seriously all-in on the standard ballet flat tropes.
Peep the super-thin outsole, soft leather upper, and crisp, thin laces. This shoe is dainty and proud.
The only real remnants of Onitsuka Tiger's established sneaker legacy are found at the midfoot, where the brand's signature Tiger Stripes remind us that, despite its dainty disposition, the Gymnarina is still an Onitsuka Tiger through and through.
When it comes to flavors, the Gymnarina has several, releasing in black, red, and blue colorways.
In an era where hybrid shoes bet big on the spectacle of it all, because let's be honest, the absurdity factor is a big selling point when it comes to these footwear crossbreeds, the Gymnarina leans into practicality. This isn't a shoe that jumps out at you the same way a sneaker heel or preppy boat clog would, and that's exactly the point. Its sexiness lies within its restraint.
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