Launching a new collaboration celebrating the iconic Air Force 1 basketball shoe—a trainer that references the official plane of U.S. Presidents plane—Nike invited Givenchy designer, Riccardo Tisci, to give his personal twist.
Tisci used his very own streetwear-inspired and yet luxurious “gang” attitude, which made his Givenchy collections famous, and applied them to the classic Air Force 1 shape.
Four new pairs were produced: Tisci re-interpreted the Air Force 1 Lo and the Air Force 1 Mid shoe models, while also presenting new versions in Mid Calf and Knee Hi Boot styles—all designed with multi-colored band adornments.
“The shoe is universal yet somehow very personal,” Tisci explained in an official release.“I travel all over the world, and I see people wearing the Air Force 1, and they wear it in so many different ways. And so I was thinking, what is the essence of the Air Force 1? And how do I take that essence and make my own statement? The Air Force 1 is not about gender, it’s not about a particular city, nor is it about a certain style. The community decides. It’s democratic. It’s love.”
This is not the first time that Riccardo Tisci shows off his penchant for sports, and basketball in particular. His latest Fall 2014 menswear collection drew inspiration from basketball courts, with sportswear-inspired apparel.
The Nike and Riccardo Tisci Air Force 1 Collection will be featured in two distinct packagings, and available at Nike retailers worldwide beginning in March.
