Aaron Hope 
Shawn Stussy’s eponymous clothing label has been around for longer than many if not most Sneaker News readers, so if Nike Sportswear ever wanted to find a collaborator to add some shine to a classic basketball model, there are few brands better capable of doing so. We’ve already seen them put out Blazers, Court Forces and All Courts, so the Stussy x Nike Sky Force ’88 Mid seems like a logical progression despite the brand being associated with surfing and skate culture. But they’re also known to be intimately connected with golden era hip-hop, too, so this half-camo/half-tonal four-pack can be seen as an amalgam of all these influences. Click through to see more shots of all four pairs of Stussy Sky Forces scheduled to release in July and stick with Sneaker News for the US release date.
The Sky Force ‘88 Mid debuted in a basketball crazed late-1980s when the Force versus Flight debate was alive and well. The Nike Force platform of basketball shoes was suited to the big men, while the Nike Flight shoes fit the quick, nimble players. The Nike Sky Force ’88, identified with the trademark ’Force’ logo on the tongue, set the tone as a versatile basketball sneaker featuring iconic team-color blocking. With its durability and premium fit, the shoe makes a comeback for Summer 2011, this time with a Stussy collaboration and a fitting tie to Force.
Four colorways of the Nike x Stussy Sky Force ‘88 Mid, two featuring camo print in the upper, two with a tonal look, carry on the strong partnership between Nike and Stussy. Colors and materials are inspired by the Nike Special Forces Boot, playing on the utilitarian material construction and merger of military gear and street style. With the classic Force logo and Stussy’s iconic ‘SS’ mark joined, the shoe’s tongue says it all a merging of two iconic brands. The cupsole construction, ankle cushioning, durable materials and circular pattern at the outsole’s forefoot were designed for courts and mixed for the streets.
