Nike's ISPA imprint is everything that was excellent about Errolson Hugh's Nike ACG line. I don't mean that as a diss to today's Nike ACG, which has capably headed in a solid, gorp-y direction, but as a sudden realization I had while reviewing ISPA's Fall 2023 collection.
If anyone still misses the high-function designs of Hugh's Nike ACG, for instance, look no further than the simply-named Nike ISPA clothes, which include the seasonal "jacket" and "Pants 2.0."
Don't be fooled by the unvarnished naming scheme, though: these are truly technical clothes.
Nike ISPA's Fall 2023 Jacket, for instance, is weather-resistant and loaded with details.
There're enough pockets to render your bags obsolete, two-way zips and pull-tabs aplenty, and a clever mesh lining that pokes out between gaps that allow for cooling air-flow, even while the garment's shielding the wearer from the elements.
Dropping on Nike's website and select stores from September 20, the rest of Nike ISPA's Fall 2023 collection includes zipper-laden vests and paneled pants fitted with self-belts, surprisingly deep pockets, and some impressive articulation.
It definitely feels like techwear for the masses, à la Errolson Hugh's Nike ACG line.
Nike ISPA has long been cranking out killer shoes since it was founded back in 2018, but the line has never been a premiere Nike project.
That is to say, though ISPA isn't necessarily a secret, its dramatic creations are so sci-fi that the wider Nike-buying public still needs to develop a taste for 'em.
Only design nerds and sneakerheads have really picked up on the appeal of ISPA's wildly futuristic footwear, which ranges from shockingly forward-thinking runners to eco-conscious shoes made entirely of foam and sneakers free from glue.
The ACG comparison really isn't anything new, you see, but ISPA does feel like a more purpose-driven evolution of the ethos that Hugh displayed during his tenure at Nike ACG.
Like, there's even a Nike ISPA manifesto, because this isn't even really clothing but "survivalwear."
If that's not your thing, though, Nike ACG is still knocking out perfectly wearable outodoor gear. It all depends how you want to conquer the elements — either way, you can be sure they won't be conquering you.
