Making mass-personalized sports shoes

At a special event a few years ago in its Harajuku flagship store, ASICS created a unique, interactive experience for its customers, giving them an opportunity to get their hands on a pair of athletic shoes made to perfectly fit their feet. In store, they got their feet measured and 3D-scanned. This data was then used to generate a personalized sock liner and show how it could enhance foot support and improve comfort when wearing their shoes.

The aim of the concept was to add a new dimension to simply trying on physical products. Customers were shown less visible parts of the shoe so they could make more informed purchase decisions and end up with a pair of athletic shoes customized just for them.

“Customers enjoyed the process of making their shoes,” said Norihiko Taniguchi, general manager of the Future Creation Division, ASICS Institute of Sport Science. “They felt that it was more enriching than simply receiving the physical product.”

Innovative experiences like this one – which was developed and managed on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud – are just some of the ways that the Japanese sportswear brand is delivering upon its company vision to deliver digital, personal and sustainable products. Renowned for engineering sportswear that enhances athletic performance, ASICS eventually hopes to create shoes tailored for every individual’s feet.

ASICS’ collaboration with Dassault Systèmes plays a key role in creating these new personalized services and products. Using the combined capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, ASICS is able to connect all processes for creating shoe molds (also known as lasts) and sock liners, covering design, manufacturing and the consumer experience. Meanwhile, during product development, project teams use the platform to collaborate, seek answers to questions, and resolve issues seamlessly.

Discover how ASICS depends on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to bring personalized experiences and products to life.