Which pair are you choosing?
In 2018, Nike created the On Air competition which brought thousands of budding designers from world’s most significant cities to design sneakers inspired by their community. With New York City, London, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo all taking part, it has now been whittled down to the 6 finalists with their sneakers being purchased to life.
Today is the day that we finally get to see these 6 fantastic shoes in the flesh.
Which is your preferred pair? let us know on our social media pages.
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Nike Air Max 98 La Mezcla, by Gabrielle Serrano
Representing the diverse races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds in new York, Serrano has highlighted what makes new York what it is: it’s people.
“When I saw the sample, I couldn’t believe it. It came out exactly how I thought of it to look.”
Nike Air Max 97 Neon Seoul, by Gwang Shin
Our personal preferred pair, Shin has taken inspiration from Seoul’s neon lights and highlighted the shape of the shoe perfectly. With it’s matte black finish and overlapping Swoosh this is our pick to win the competition.
“The colours on the sample came out so well from the original design. I was joking that, once I saw the sample, I was ready to take it back with me to Korea. My trip was complete.”
Nike Air Max 97 London summer of Love, by Jasmine Lasode
With a date on Primrose hill at the forefront of Lasode’s thinking, this sneaker is dynamic and summer ready. The smaller details are what makes this sneaker really exceptional.
“I kept thinking about how crazy this was. What I’ve literally thought of on paper has come through into what I’m taking a look at best now. It’s surreal.”
Nike Air Max 1 Tokyo Maze, by Yuta Takuman
Honouring Tokyo’s labyrinth of an underground system, Yuta has used embossed leather and to represent the concrete foundations of the ‘Electric Town’.
“My first reaction was, ‘Perfect.’ When I walked around the corner and saw my sample on the table, I got goosebumps. I still have them.”
Nike Air VaporMax plus Paris works in Progress, by Lou Matheron
Using an image of an under-construction Parisian courthouse, Matheron has used this ‘Work-in-Progress’ mantra at the crux of her design.
“I didn’t know that we’d get to see the samples. It’s amazing to think that I just developed a shoe for one of the most significant brands in the world. I kept thinking, ‘Is this really happening to me?”
Nike Air Max 97 SH Kaleidoscope, by cash Ru
Clouds floating atop of the Shanghai skyline is common place in the cosmopolitan city. Ru’s design perfectly illustrates this on the renowned Air Max 97.
“Walking around the corner and seeing the sample – It was like a dream come true. Sokkos állapotban voltam.”