Brand: Nike

Model: Air Max 97 "Air Sprung"

Release Date: Spring 2022

Price: $170

Buy: TBC

Editor's Notes: As far as I know, T-Pain doesn't make sneakers; not Nike sneakers, anyway; but if he did, they might come with a name similar to "Air Sprung."

Despite what the name might suggest, the latest Air Max 97 to join the ever-growing archive of 90s classics has no affiliation with the 2005 banger.

The AM97 "Air Sprung" marks the second release within a growing pack of Swoosh icons, following the multi-colored Air Max 95 earlier this year and including the Blazer Low Platform, Air Max 90, and Air Force 1 Low.

Similiar to its predecessor, the 97 gets decked out in a playful, light palette that is far removed from the ultra-futurist raver classic that is the "Silver Bullet."

The pair, part of Nike's Move to Zero, features a mix of sand and sail white tumbled leather and canvas. What makes these so endearing is the application of caterpillar and butterfly motifs spread across the silhouette, along with bold pops of pink and purple to offset the muted uppers.

Traditional Air Max 97 branding, which sits at the woven heel pull and tongue, has been remixed and switched out for new "Air Sprung" logos, which, at the tongue, are adorned with additional embroidered characters.

If this pair of 97s and the additional silhouettes that make up the larger collection that is due to release next Spring are anything to go by, Nike is getting back to having fun creating packs. There's nothing wrong with not taking yourself too seriously, and here, it excels.

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