It’s not the first time that the German sportswear brand has taken inspiration from the craftsmanship of the Ancient Orient. Sometime this year, they adopted the traditional Japanese embroidery of Sashiko and used it as a design cue for the Forum Low. With the same MO, they found their next inspiration from the skilled art of Chinese porcelain painting.

The Forum Low “Carbon” is dressed uniformly in an austere triple-black, embodying the discipline of mastering a craft. There, glazed and shining on the upper is a beautiful hand-drawn flower print inspired by the aforementioned Chinese porcelain. The artwork traverses through the canvas, a dip-dyed leather make giving off a glint where light falls.

However, the shine dissipates through the matte finish of the tongue, and the laces. Nevertheless, the darkness leading up to the interior allows for the strong blue finish to irradiate the floral graphics inside.

The “Chinese porcelain” motif is rounded out impeccably through the presentation of the shoe box. The floral graphics enveloping it as it did on the shoes. Despite the austerity of the design, a contemporary touch is applied through the universal “FRAGILE” and “THIS SIDE UP” warning labels.

The pair is available now on adidas.com with a price tag of ¥18,700 or US$130.

In other sneaker-related news, check out the two-pack, tweeded ASICS Gel-Lyte III.