words // Brandon Richard
Athletic footwear and apparel company Li-Ning has launched their Year of the Dragon basketball shoe collection, featuring four artistic styles that pay homage to the Chinese Year.
Included in the series are two new designs for the Evan Turner signature Li-Ning Turningpoint – “Porcelain” and “Emperor’s Robe” – as well as two unique Hero and Villain styles. The special edition line was designed in honor of the Year of the Dragon, which occurs every 12 years in Chinese astrology and symbolizes Eastern principles that drive the Li-Ning brand. This year in particular is personified by characteristics of mastery of authority and ambition.
“The Year of the Dragon limited editions are not only visually appealing because of the unique artistic design, but they also connect us to our Eastern roots in another initiative in our yearlong promotion of the Chinese Year of the Dragon,” said Craig Heisner, VP of Marketing, Sales and Merchandise for Digital Li-Ning. “We’ve already received great feedback on the design through our social media platforms, and we’re excited to be able to offer some unique shoe styles to the U.S. market. We hope that it will only add to the success we’ve experienced in the U.S. in such a short time.”
Evan Turner debuted the "Porcelain" Turningpoint during the All-Star Weekend's Rising STars Game. Turner was born in 1988, also the Year of the Dragon.
The designs incorporate thousands of year of Chinese art and culture, giving each shoe its own meaning. The Emperor’s Robe is named for the bold yellow hue worn by rulers of the Tang Dynasty, while the Porcelain’s intricate, hand-drawn pattern was inspired by ancient Chinese porcelain vases depicting a dragon.
Limited to 44 pairs each, you can buy the Limited Edition - Year of the Dragon styles directly from Li-Ning today.
Li-Ning Turningpoint Year of the Dragon - "Porcelain"
Li-Ning Turningpoint Year of the Dragon - "Emperor's Robe"
Li-Ning Hero Year of the Dragon
Li-Ning Villain Year of the Dragon
