In November 2023, Onitsuka Tiger quietly shut down its US retail operations and website, leaving American sneaker fans scrambling for secondhand pairs on Depop and StockX. Eighteen months later, the Japanese brand opened a 5,500-square-foot flagship on Paris's Champs-Élysées, its most ambitious retail project yet. The message was clear: Onitsuka Tiger wasn't retreating—it was repositioning. The brand that helped birth Nike in the 1960s is now making a calculated bet that Europe, not America, holds the key to its transformation from heritage sneaker label to global luxury lifestyle brand.

‍

‍

‍

Historical Context

Onitsuka Tiger's relationship with the US market has always been complicated. In 1963, Phil Knight imported the first shipment of Tiger shoes to America, eventually transforming his Blue Ribbon Sports into Nike after a bitter split with Onitsuka in the early 1970s. When Asics revived Onitsuka Tiger as a lifestyle brand in 2002, the company opened its first international store in Paris—not New York or Los Angeles. That choice now looks prophetic.

By 2023, the brand operated multiple US locations but was struggling with profitability. Asics announced the closures in November 2023, citing the need to "improve profitability" without elaborating on specifics. The brand reopened its US online store in August 2024 but maintains zero physical retail presence. A full US return isn't planned until 2027, and even then, it will be driven by e-commerce rather than the expensive flagship model the brand is pursuing in Europe.

‍

‍

‍

Current Reality

Europe is experiencing the opposite trajectory. In 2025 alone, Onitsuka Tiger opened three major flagships: Barcelona in March, London's Covent Garden in May, and the Champs-Élysées location in July. The brand now operates seven stores across Europe—compared to 192 locations globally, with 83 in China and 48 in Japan. That European presence is deliberately selective.

The financial results validate the strategy. Onitsuka Tiger posted 58.3% sales growth in 2024, generating approximately 66 billion yen ($434 million) in the first half of 2025 alone. More critically, the brand achieved a 34% profit margin—the highest of any category within Asics, which also owns the SportStyle line. Category profits surged 111.2% year-over-year.

This isn't just about retail expansion. Onitsuka Tiger presented collections at Milan Fashion Week in both 2024 and 2025, collaborated with Versace for Paris Fashion Week, and partnered with French brand Patou. The European fashion establishment is treating Onitsuka Tiger as a serious player, not a nostalgia act.

‍

‍

‍

The Nuance

The divergence between US exit and European expansion reveals competing philosophies about brand building in 2025. American retail rewards scale and accessibility—think Adidas Sambas everywhere from Foot Locker to Urban Outfitters. European luxury retail values scarcity and experience. Ryoji Shoda, head of Onitsuka Tiger, explicitly stated the brand ensures "our neighbours are luxury fashion brands" when selecting store locations.

Retail economics reinforce this choice. US mall rents averaged $33.35 per square foot in 2023, while prime downtown retail space commands $20-50 annually. European flagship locations on streets like Champs-Élysées or Barcelona's Passeig de Gràcia carry similar costs, but they position the brand alongside Louis Vuitton and Cartier rather than athletic competitors. The US hiatus, as noted by Business of Fashion, "enabled it to become more of a luxury product" by creating artificial scarcity.

The strategy has a precedent: Japanese minimalist brand Muji spent years building European credibility before successfully re-entering the US market. Onitsuka Tiger appears to be following a similar playbook.

‍

‍

‍

Why It Matters

Onitsuka Tiger's geographic pivot illustrates how heritage brands can escape the "performance sneaker" category trap. By accepting short-term US revenue loss to establish luxury credentials in Europe, the brand is betting it can return to America in 2027 with higher pricing power and cultural cache. The 75-year-old company is playing a long game toward its 100th anniversary in 2049.

For travelers seeking the brand's current flagship experiences—the Tokyo-meets-Barcelona design aesthetic, exclusive colorways, and café concepts—Europe is now the destination. The US gets e-commerce; Europe gets the vision.