ACU x Li-Ning 50/50 Release Date

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In honor of their 15th anniversary, ACU partners with leading Chinese sports brand Li-Ning to create their first collaboration sneaker, the ACU x Li-Ning 50/50. This commemorative sneaker is extra special as it is the first skate shoe for Li-Ning’s newly established skateboard department.

ACU is a shop located in Shanghai, China. Since 2006, ACU has been dedicated to bringing all the best streetwear brands to China. The name “ACU” is actually short for Acupuncture, and serves as the leading inspiration for the brand’s ideals about optimism and mindfulness. This sneaker continues to take inspiration from traditional Chinese medicine as the shoe features a top layer on the quarters made with a parchment-like material. This design element is a tribute to traditional Chinese medicine packaging, which is usually wrapped up in paper and tied with string. As you wear these sneakers, the top layer will naturally tear-away, revealing a Li-Ning logo and a lined paper pattern. The sneaker also comes with extra laces that are made to look like the string that is used to tie the medicine pack together. The gum midsole mimics wood and represents the brand’s roots of hoping to plant streetwear into daily life. The root theme is taken one step further as the sneakers come packaged in a special wooden box.

The ACU x Li-Ning 50/50 is set to release on January 8, 2022. The price is set at 999 CNY (approx. $158 USD). To purchase, enter the ACU online raffle through the WeChat Mini program. For more Li-Ning releases and updates on all your favorite sneakers, follow @NiceKicks on Twitter.