The Nike Air Force 1 Low has taken on denim and patent leather uppers separately, and now a material exercise is somehow combining both at once.
The Nike Air Force 1 Low “Patent Denim” manages to appear shiny and like a pair of jeans. Patent leather is the actual material used, but it’s given a realistic print of stonewashed denim to fool the eye. The theme continues with gold contrast stitching and embroidered eyelets in the same color to suggest rivets, as well as piping on the heel taking after the interior of selvedge denim. Actual denim is then used for the tongue, while its lace loop and tag swap pack to the patent print.
Tuesday saw the emergence of square-toe Air Force 1 Lows out of Paris Fashion Week. Such developments demonstrate how Nike can cook up fresh takes on the 43-year-old sneaker and suggest a fun era for the shoe is underway.
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For those who’d rather see the Air Force 1 Low through more of a purist’s lens, the shoe is coming back this year in an ’01 build that’s more true to the original proportions than the ’07 build that’s been the standard. The older shape is more sleek, and key differences can be seen in the shapes of the toe box, Swoosh and mustache and greater definition for each of the upper’s panels.
The AF1 ’01 quietly debuted in Nigo’s “L02” collaboration earlier this year and was properly highlighted for a Knicks-themed colorway that went up for preorder last week. More releases, including the essential “Triple-White,” are slated for the fall.
The Nike Air Force 1 Low “Patent Denim” doesn’t yet have a confirmed release date or pricing but is expected to drop this summer through Nike’s website and select third-party retailers.
