Nike's Oldest Running Shoes & Nike's State-Of-The-Art Super Shoes Become One
Nike’s state-of-the-art running shoes are going back to the ‘70s. The Nike International Running Pack takes four of the brand's top-of-the-line running models and infuses them with the aesthetics of their 1970s predecessors.
Launching initially in Japan, ahead of the track and field championships in Tokyo, the purpose of this new pack is to “meet Japanese runners’ appreciation for vintage styles,” said Katsunobu Asayama, lead designer of the footwear collection, in a statement. “Bringing that vintage look the community loves to our latest footwear innovations.”
The results see Nike’s Vaporfly 4, Alphafly 3, Pegasus 41, and Vomero 18 models each combined with a different shoe from Nike’s storied archives.
The Pegasus 41, for instance, takes on the look of Nike’s famous Waffle Racer, the brand’s first-ever running shoe (buying an original pair today will set you back around half a million dollars).
Meanwhile, Nike’s LD-1000, which shares much of its look with the Waffle Racer, is combined with Nike’s everyday training shoe, the Vomero 18.
Two of Nike’s race-day super shoes are also included in the pack. The Vaporfly 4, the latest evolution of Nike’s original super shoe, harks back to a poignant piece of Nike history. The blue and red colorway of the Nike shoes worn by legendary runner Steve Prefontaine for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal is printed onto the Vaporfly.
A similar two-tone look is brought onto Nike’s Alphafly 3, although its orange and green combination comes from Nike’s original suede and nylon racing flat, the Sting.
‘70s running shoes have been a vital reference point for the current slim-soled shoe revival, with Nike’s OG Waffle Runner model even becoming luxury brand inspiration. Which makes this a fitting time for Nike to bring back some of its most legendary shoes.
But the American sportswear brand goes one further, merging its running shoe icons from bygone years with running shoe icons from the modern day.
The International Running Pack is first dropping at the UNION RUNNING DEPT. BY NIKE in Tokyo on August 30. It’ll then launch throughout Japan on September 5 before arriving globally on Nike’s website starting September 10.
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