Nike Air Force 1 High x PSNY is all deluxe
A beloved name in fashion is back to set the sneaker world on fire via The Nike Air Force 1 High x PSNY. Public School New York is a fixture on the minds of sneakerheads from around the world. Aside from being purveyors of high-end streetwear, PSNY has played a part in the hype-sensitive realm of sneakers. Their work with Jordan brand is notable for its luxurious quality – not to mention a price point that reflects it.
Regardless of the small fortune one would need to purchase them, any piece of footwear with PSNY’s name on it is pure retail gold. This latest collaboration is no different. After quite the turn around the rumor mill, this special release was finally made official. For background, the first time we laid eyes on this design was back in 2017.
Towards the end of the year, we spotted this reworked AF1 at ComplexCon. It was reportedly designed as a Friends and Family exclusive with no actual public release date. Now, nearly a year later, we finally got a chance to get our hands on this imaginative collaboration.
Nike gets together with PSNY to figure out how best to rethink the Air Force 1 without taking away what makes it unique in the first place. They arrived at a point where they just couldn’t make up their minds. In fact, they weren’t sure which iteration of the AF1 they wanted to work on: the lows, mids, or high versions.
What they ended up doing was bringing all three together in a surprisingly articulate concept. The strap on the heel comes from the mid-cut Air Force 1. The quarter panel is a direct tribute to the low edition. Finally, the lacing eye-stays and vamp are from the high-tops.
Available in White, Black, and Grey iterations, every design element on these shoes is intentionally raised to appear as though it’s levitating off the sneaker. The materials here are, as one would expect, of a high caliber. From tumbled leathers to smooth suede, no punches were pulled on this design.
Considering the concept, it’s actually odd how well put together this shoe looks. Mashing sneaker designs together is always a bit complicated. This is even more challenging when you work with a shoe that is so widely loved both in and out of the sneaker community.
And yet, somehow, some way, Nike and PSNY put together a golden release!
