Fila is Bringing Pokémon Sneakers to South Korea

There’s a new collaboration in town, and it’s going to tickle your fancy especially if you’re into monsters that fit into your pockets. It’s definitely a niche market, but that niche is quite large. Pokémon fans in South Korea now have something new to look forward to. Fila’s South Korean branch, Kotaku, has teamed up with the Pokémon Company to release sneakers that are Pokémon themed.

Pokémon has recently gained a resurgence with the release of its Pokémon GO app a couple of years ago. Old, current, and new Pokémon fans became obsessed with finding these pocket monsters everywhere, and it definitely boosted the business once again, not that Pokémon ever needed it. Pokémon has always had a steady stream of fans each time a new generation discovers it. The breadth of the Pokémon universe is also quite impressive. It appeals to the younger population and hobbyists for the most part, but the release of Pokémon GO took it to the next level. That app transcended all demographics as people from all ages, races, and denominations got their apps on to start catching them all. It’s a smart move for Pokémon to give its fans something new to be crazed about.

It’s also a smart move for Fila to jump in on the Pokémon GO craze, even two years after. Fila’s brand has been experiencing a sales decline in the U.S. for many years now, and this might be exactly what the company needs to propel itself back into mainstream. Fila, an originally Italian company, is now based in South Korea after a takeover in 2007. The athletic apparel line has a large athletic shoes division, so these Pokémon sneakers will be right up their alley. Releasing the sneakers in the Asian market is also a smart move; it’ll be the best way to determine if the sneakers will catch on. At this point, it doesn’t quite matter which brand picks up a Pokémon collaboration; it’s almost always a guaranteed hit at least in the niche market. Fila is probably guaranteed a boost in sales, at least initially. It’ll be interesting to see how long the craze will last after the sneakers have been released.

So far, we’ve seen sneaker designs that are based on a few Kanto Pokémon. Kanto was the very first region in the Pokémon universe, so it’s fitting that they release these designs first. The five designs are based on these characters: Bulbasar, Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, and of course Pikachu—arguably the most famous Pokémon that’s ever been created. The sneakers have a white body and base, and they have detail coloring and emblems that match the characters each one represents. The result is almost classic looking and quite nostalgic. It’ll probably be a sure hit among fans. The true test now is whether it’ll cross over to non-fans just as the Pokémon GO app did. There’s no release date as of yet, but we’ll be keeping an eye on this one for sure.

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