We can all agree that Nike’s new woven Air Force 1 “New Jersey” feels like Bottega, so how did it end up in New Jersey? Maybe the Jersey part is in the details.

Part of Nike’s ongoing sneaker series that draws from regional culture, the “Garden State” Air Force 1 turns Garden State pride into quiet luxury.

The upper blends tumbled and woven cacao-brown leather, giving the shoe a texture you’d expect from a $2,000 Italian loafer, not a pair of Forces.

Suede Swooshes, gold “NEW JERSEY” lace tags, and an embossed heel stamp make for a surprisingly suave hometown flex.

This is the kind of AF1 that looks more Milan than Jersey Meadowlands farm country. Still, look close and you’ll catch subtle nods to the state: green insoles referencing farmland and rich brown leather echoing New Jersey’s soil.

It’s an oddly elegant tribute to a place more known for diners and turnpikes than design minimalism.

Nike’s Air Forces have been cruising in the luxury lane for a while now, from wild premium leather uppers to pairs that could fit right into stealth-wealth TikTok. And while the model once wore LV monograms courtesy of Virgil Abloh, a true Bottega crossover still feels like a dream.

For now, the “New Jersey” edition drops this fall for $125 on Nike’s website, a little more New Jersey Italian than Milanese, but perhaps that’s exactly what makes it great. Last we checked, Bottega’s not based in the Northeast, but if Nike keeps making Air Forces like this, who’s complaining?

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