As the sneaker world awaits for the Nike Air Force 1 Low’s high-profile collaborations to drop, Bruce Kilgore’s 40-year-old design continues to appear on compelling solo efforts from the brand.
Recently, the made-for-basketball sneaker emerged in a faded olive green ensemble as part of the North American sportswear giant’s “NAI-KE” collection, which pays homage to Japan and its footwear-obsessed subculture. The upcoming pair isn’t the first to feature kanji characters throughout the upper – most notably the Achilles’ heel – spelling out the phonetic pronunciation of “Nike” (“NAI-KE”). Canvas construction across the latest low-top Air Force 1 is accompanied by cross-shaped stitching at the mid-foot panels, as well as other patterns on the spine and tongue. Lace dubraes seemingly boast an up-cycled build that fits with the hand-crafted, Japanese-inspired theme that takes over Kilgore’s creation. Underfoot, sole units deviate from the faded olive green flair in favor of a slightly-yellowed look that delivers a touch of age to the 1982 design’s upcoming release.
No firm Nike SNKRS launch details have been disclosed by the brand, but that’s likely to change soon. In the meantime, enjoy official images of the pair ahead.
