Matthew M. Williams' Mysterious Nike Sneakers Are Chunkier Than Ever
Matthew M. Williams and Nike, a duo that has been an inimitable force for over five years, have announced their latest collaboration: a full yoga collection.
Building on the previous yoga-focused drops from Nike x MMW, it delivers monochrome, tech-y sportswear crafted for wellness and includes a new sneaker — a category that's been a highlight from previous collaborations.
Teased in the black-and-white campaign imagery for this collection, the sneaker has a chunky profile reminiscent of the early MMW x Nike collections.
Most notable at first glance is the shoe's bulky, sculptural sole unit, featuring a deep ridge splitting apart the front and the back of the sole.
In the front section of the sole, an exposed air bubble similar to that in the Nike Zoom 4 (which Williams has collaborated on extensively) can be seen poking out.
Does this mean a new edition of the MMW x Nike Zoom 4 will release? Maybe the Zoom 5? It looks likely, however, there's no confirmation yet.
The lo-fi photography obscures many details of the sneaker, meaning we’ll have to wait for the full collection to drop on the ALYX website (it is releasing on March 21, at 6 pm CET) to get a detailed look at the shoe.
Also dropping alongside the new MMW x Nike sneaker, is a vast selection of matching, monochrome yoga wear.
The minimally branded collection has all of the typical gear you’d expect to find in a yoga capsule (leggings, jumpsuits, athletic shorts, etc.) along with sportswear that’s suitable for activities beyond being in downward dog (such as a puffer jacket and full tracksuits).
This release follows up on the two brand’s collaborative Air Force 1, a minimal design released at the end of last year.
The contrast between that sleek, luxury-focused sneaker and this bulky, technical sports shoe is stark and it is a result of Williams actively trying to expand the range of his Nike partnership. As the ALYX founder and former Givenchy creative director told Highsnobiety last year when discussing his Nike collaborations: “It’s nice to be playing in both arenas."
