Nike is making some massive moves this year, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the 1982 Air Force 1, designed by Bruce Kilgore. Enlisting a squad of all-star partners from around the world, Nike is set to release some high-profile collaborations alongside Don C, Kareem “Biggs” Burke, Errolson Hugh, Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh.
Providing some more context around this huge announcement, Nike Sportswear's Senior Creative Director & Lead Designer Al Baik noted the following:
“There is no other shoe that connects to sport, music, fashion, art, the street and the city all at the same time. The most ubiquitous Air Force 1 is the white-white. For the 35th anniversary, we selected collaborators who are impacting future generations across culture. Their brief was filtered through the white-white lens. The design brief was to remain classic and recognizable to the Air Force 1 while connecting to each collaborator’s life personally and the fields they represent.”
According to Nike, the so-called AF100 collection retails through SNKRS and key retailers.
Below, check out some first looks at each of the collaborative shoes, as well as quotes from each collaborator.
Air Force 1 Hi "Just Don" by Don "Don C" Crawley
Available December 1
"I knew I wanted to use premium leather and to mix the best quality of material and fabrics, and we did just that. There were details from the Air Force 2 and Air Force 3 that I wanted to bring into the shoe, and I appreciate Nike giving me the freedom to push the limits there.
We’re talking about the Air Force 1. It’s the OG, the grandfather, the one that started it all. I always feel that you have to be down with your family, because that’s who’s always going to be there for you. Family doesn’t always mean blood, but you have to keep them close and respect the ones who are looking out for you. I just wanted to pay respect to this iconic silhouette, and make sure kids really appreciate what it means to stick with your family.”
-Don Crawley
Air Force 1 ’07 Roc-a-Fella by Kareem “Biggs” Burke
Available November 30
“It was great timing for us to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Air Force 1, because we just finished celebrating 20 years of Roc-A-Fella. If you think about Roc-A-Fella, you think about the logo. If you think about sneakers, you think about Air Force 1s. To have our logo on the Air Force 1, is very special to us. Air Force 1s are true to Roc-A-Fella.
The Roc-A-Fella logo means something to all of us. We wear it on our heart. It’s more than just a symbol, it’s about the belief system behind it. It’s loyalty, integrity, relationships, friendships; it’s the brotherhood behind the logo.”
-Kareem Burke
Lunar Force 1 "ACRONYM ‘17" BY Errolson Hugh
Available December 3
“At the beginning, when we first were approached by Nike to look at the Lunar Force 1, the first thing we asked ourselves was, 'Why should we do this? What could we possibly bring to the table that Nike doesn't already know how to do?’
In the end, we decided to approach it just like we approach the apparel, which means: Look at a problem, or look at an aspect of the functionality, and see if there's a way we can improve it."
-Errolson Hugh
Air Force 1 Low "Travis Scott" by Travis Scott
Available December 2
“I looked at the making of this shoe the same way I make an album. I wanted it to tell a story about me. I set the tone to go crazy at my shows. I’m the acid of rap.”
-Travis Scott
Air Force 1 ’07 "OFF-WHITE" by Virgil Abloh
Available November 4 (Only at ComplexCon)
“It's all one expression. It's the Off-White ideology of altering product. That's my brand and my way of making things. I like to start with something established and then iterate on a process to edit it.
What I love about the three Air Force 1s I’ve worked on with Nike, so far, they encompass one idea executed in three different ways. With this one, the colorway is important. The Air Force 1 isn't iconic in just any color, they’re iconic in one: white. White is the theme for this third Air Force 1, looking at the cultural context of the white on white — editing it, but not editing it too far to where it becomes something else.”
-Virgil Abloh
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