In what has become an annual tradition, Nike draws inspiration from the Chinese zodiac for the 11th year in a row. The impeccable attention for detail portrayed in this collection is the best yet. Four models – Air Force 1 Low Supreme, Air Jordan 2012, Nike Kobe VII System and Nike Zoom KD IV, were reworked to capture their association with the mythical creature. The collection of shoes represent the pinnacle of performance footwear, celebrating the past and present, with elite franchise styles. Nike designers aligned Chinese culture to cosmopolitan aesthetics and added a touch of novelty to the nobility and greatness of the dragon. The number of four echoes a Chinese idiom that dragons rise out of FOUR seas, conveying best wishes for the Chinese new year.

In addition to the four footwear styles, the Nike Destroyer Jacket will hit the street at the same time. Also inspired by dragon robe, it features woolen texture with black suede sleeves. The dragon theme is illustrated through the lining, plus dragon claws embroidered both in the lining and the back, set alive by the cloud-and-bat design. The Destroyer Jacket will be available alone or along with the Nike Air Force 1 Low Supreme, both in the limited edition packaging.

The Nike Sportswear flagship store 21 Mercer has created the Nike Air Force 1 ‘The Gift’ in limited quantities. The low top sneaker features a denim upper, brown leather mid-sole and further accents set in a metallic red, matching ‘the gift’ embroidery on the heel. The sneaker will never go on sale, but is actually being given away randomly over their Twitter account in the next couple of days.

Check the 21 Mercer Twitter feed and good luck getting your pair.

Here comes an interesting new version of the Nike Air Force 1. The iconic low top sneaker still remains to be one of the most successful in the Nike line-up, nevertheless the chunky outer sole at times feels outdated. That is about to change, as Nike introduces the Nike Air Force 1 Low Light.

Here we present the Julep colorway of the sneaker. Along with a thinner outer sole, the sneaker also comes without padding on the lining and just a thin leather liner. Purists might not really be into it, but we definitely welcome the addition of the sneaker.

Nike iD goes to the next level on the Air Force 1 and offers the iconic basketball sneaker with new premium options, similar to the recently launched Nike iD Toki. As usual, the Bespoke service is exclusive to the 21 Mercer store in New York City and takes about 4 weeks for delivery.

“The padding and lining have been removed and the shoe itself has been pared back to reveal a minimalist construction that has more in common with dress shoes than Rucker Park. The laces are hand-rolled and stitched. The leather-wrapped midsole is both lighter and softer than a standard Air Force. The sockliner is premium leather with full-length memory foam. The hang tags are also leather, with personalised laser etching all part of the package. All in all, it’s a radical and classy upmarket overhaul of the Uptown, Nike’s bona fide NYC sneaker franchise. And if that’s not enough, the first 30 customers through the Mercer Street doors will receive their Bespokes inside a wooden box made from reclaimed fir, complete with laser etching and a custom seal.”

Take a detailed look at the Vachetta leather low top sneaker and the SneakerFreaker cover that features the very first from this new program after the jump.

For the occasion of the Bearbrick World Wide Tour 2, Medicom has teamed up with Nike. They produced two Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, featuring faux fur uppers, imitating the iconic Bearbrick toy of the Japanese brand. The sneaker comes in both brown and black versions, with the Bearbrick logo placed on the tongue. The collaborative sneakers will release on December 3rd, 2011. Check out the special toy releases for the event here.

A look at both colorways of the Medicom Nike Air Force 1 ‘Bearbrick Version’ sneaker follow after the jump.

Just this morning we presented the Air Pegasus+ 28 from the N7 Collection. Here comes now the lifestyle highlight from the 2011 Collection, the N7 Air Force 1 Low.

“The Nike N7 Air Force 1 07 LE Men’s Shoe pays tribute to the Nike N7 program with a patchwork of premium leather. Featuring the legendary Air Force 1 profile, this shoe is just the right blend of comfort and classic style.”

The sneaker is now available here.

This week Nike has released a tribute Air Force 1 Quickstrike sneaker to New York streetball player John Strickland, who passed away almost a year ago, at the young age of 38. The sneaker comes in a premium white leather with embossed graphics on the heel and a special tongue tag, as well as tonal lace-lock. The all white upper sits on a natural gum outer sole, making for an overall nice and clean look.

“With his talents rivaled only by his showmanship, Strickland’s signature ‘finish your breakfast’ catchcry was immortalised by Jay-Z in Public Service Announcement: “No one can do it better. I check cheddar like a food inspector. My homey Strick told me, ‘Dude, finish your breakfast.’” Featuring ‘FRANCHISE’ embossed on the heel and ‘Finish Your Breakfast’ on the the tongue, this classic white on gum AF1 will be available at selected stores early October.”

Look out for the sneaker at premium sneaker retailers now.

Featured in Nike Sportswear’s Holiday 2011 Collection are two LeBron James footwear styles. The black leather Air Force 1 Premium Low QS is the first AF1 low to feature the rugged traction characteristic of a duck boot, with a winterized feel fit for the harsh weather.

The Nike Air Max Conquer QS is a versatile boot made for the winter with a high cut, rugged traction pattern, waterproof overlays and a heel viz 180 Nike Air unit. A new NSW LeBron logo on the tongue top and sockliner finish the boot off and tie directly to a matching range of Nike Sportswear apparel. Both styles debut at select global retailers this November.

More images follow after the click.

A style icon on and off the court, the Air Force 1 white/white colorway launching in the Holiday 2011 Nike Sportswear collection pays homage to New York City basketball legend John Strickland. The ultimate entertainer, “Strick” brought an undeniable bravado and signature style to the game. Known for his phrase, “finish your breakfast,” meaning beating your defender off the dribble, Strickland’s passing in 2010 was a sad loss in the basketball community. Nike’s AF1 homage to the legend includes signature details reminiscent of Strick, a custom tongue tab with “finish your breakfast” is the highlight. The shoe launches globally at select retailers in October.

More images follow after the click.

Nike Sportswear continues to release footwear, using their still new Vac Tech upper construction. For Holiday 2011, the Nike Air Max 90, Nike Air Force 1 and Nike Dunk all come featuring the seamless upper construction in mostly subtle tones and premium materials. You can expect a release over the coming months.

Check out the full Nike Sportswear Vac Tech Pack for Holiday 2011 after the jump.