The name of this colorway conjures up two fairly opposing images. “Concrete” sounds grey and understated, while “Barely Rose” suggests something soft and light. In practice, the ASICS GEL-NYC sits somewhere in between, which makes the question I always ask myself — would I actually wear these? — a little more interesting than it would be with a single-color model.
What you see
The base is an off-white mesh on the side panels, layered with light grey suede around the toe and on the heel. The pink appears in the side stripes and in a suede panel around the laces. It’s a pale, almost dusty pink — not the kind of color you’d register from a distance as a “pink shoe”, but rather a warm tone that breaks up the grey.
What gives the shoe even more depth are the silver-colored panels along the lower edge and around the heel. They catch the light and add a little shine to the side, while the suede and mesh remain matte. A pink layer runs through the midsole, with white underneath and a window in the heel. The sole is clearly built up in several layers and fairly substantial — this is no flat, low-profile sneaker. The ASICS logo on the heel comes in a bronze tone, which works well with the warm pink.
How wearable is it?
My first thought when I see this many colors on one shoe is usually: isn’t this going to look busy? Here, it doesn’t, because all the tones are light and muted. There’s no harsh contrast anywhere. The overall effect is more like a light, heathered shoe than a color-blocked one.
That does mean it looks best with understated clothing. Grey, off-white, denim or soft brown let the shoe do the talking. With bright colors or lots of pattern, the pink starts to stand out in a way that isn’t always flattering. Personally, I’d be most likely to wear them with straight-leg jeans or light-colored trousers for everyday outfits.
Practically speaking, this isn’t a colorway for bad weather. Off-white mesh and light suede around the toe are exactly the areas that get dirty first, and it shows more quickly on these tones than it would on darker materials. On the plus side, the thick, layered sole looks comfortable, and the shoe’s height gives it a more solid feel than a classic low-profile runner.
For anyone torn between “too much” and “just enough”, I’d say this is a shoe for someone who wants something that isn’t completely neutral, but doesn’t need to make a statement either. The pink is definitely there, but it never takes over.
Availability and price
This version sits in the ATOMIC Hypescore tier on our site, and the availability reflects that: it’s currently stocked by eighteen different shops. That’s a lot for an ASICS colorway, and it means prices vary considerably — the gap between the cheapest and most expensive retailer is more than double. With that kind of spread, it’s definitely worth comparing prices before you place your order. On the page for this GEL-NYC, you can see the retailers and available sizes side by side.