Sneaker News As part of the Air Max Day 2018 celebration, Nike Sportswear presented Nike: On Air design program that took place in six key cities across the globe. NYC, Paris, London, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo invited locals to design their own Air Max shoe utilizing an endless library of colors, materials, and other options to tell a story about their city. Today, Nike announces the eighteen finalists – three per city – from the On Air program; beginning today you’ll get the opportunity to vote for the best design from each city, and the final six will see their designs transform into 3D renderings and then into real-life shoes.
Voting begins today at 10:00 AM EST and runs through May 13th, 11:30 PM PST; you can vote once per day through the Nike SNKRS App or on Nike.com/OnAir. The winning designs will be announced on May 14th and will later enter production.
NYC: Air Max 95 “Cross Section” by Brett Ginsberg
Ginsberg’s multi-layer design comments on NYC’s pace, density and grit as a medium for unique footwear.
NYC: Air Max 95 “BEC” by Kevin Louie
A fan of efficiency and convenience, Louie drew from the ubiquitous bodega culture of the five boroughs – and the dependable 24/7 bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.
NYC: Air Max 98 “La Mezcla” by Gabrielle Serrano
Serrano’s entry represents the diverse complexions of NYC that combine race, ethnicity and cultural background, highlighting what makes this city special: its people.
London: Air Max 270 “London Darwin” by Shamima Ahmed
The design from the 18-year-old London native brings to life the evolution of Brutalist architecture that has shaped her hometown since the 1950s, revealing the unexpected beauty of the city’s infrastructure.
London: Air Max 97 “London Summer” by Jasmine Lasode
Lasode’s design celebrates love and summer in the city, with a personal memory – a first date spent on Primrose Hill — as her backdrop.
London: Air Max 98 “Ode To Layou” by Reuben Charters-Bastide
Based on his grandfather’s journey from the Caribbean to the UK aboard the HMT Empire Windrush, Charters-Bastide’s concept marks the undeniable contribution that immigration has made to shape London’s multicultural landscape.
Paris: Air Max 90 “Age Of Gold” by Coralie Rabbe
Blending traditional fabric and graffiti-inspired speckled print, Coralie’s design honors the cultural diversity of Paris through references to textiles from Europe, Asia and Africa.
Paris: Vapormox Plus “Works In Progress” by Lou Matheron
Photographs of an under-construction Parisian courthouse inspired Matheron’s concept, reimagining the colors and materials from the job site.
Paris: Air Max 180 “1.0” by Quentin Sobaszek
A TPU plastic cage, ripstop nylon panels and contrasting Swoosh and Air-Sole units nod to Sobaszek’s vision for the Paris of tomorrow: combining both geometric and digital elements inspired by the city’s architecture.
Seoul: Nike Air Max 97 “Neon” by Joon Oh Park
Shin’s concept is inspired by his city’s neon signs, complete with a matte black body, vibrant colors and contours inspired by the Taaeguk symbol on Seoul’s flag.
Seoul: Nike Air Max 98 “Ulsoo” by Binna Kim
Through the strong contrast of the Air Max 98 silhouette, Kim’s design reflects the tradition and the future of Seoul by way of the upper’s color along with materials from traditional Korean shoes.
Seoul: Nike Air Max 98 “Metro” by Joon Oh Park
Park’s design pulls inspiration from Seoul’s vast underground transit system, referencing its colorful map, metallic railway car frames and safety signs.
Tokyo: Nike Air Max 95 “Cultural City Tokyo!” by WOOD
Evoking Japan’s past and present street culture, WOOD’s concept was partly inspired by the humanoid forms of yokai – spirits and demons of Japanese folklore.
Tokyo: Nike Air Max 1 “Tokyo Maze” by Yuta Takuman
Takuman’s design honors the dizzying urban labyrinth of colorful tube lines that shoot beneath Tokyo. Embossed leather represents the city’s concrete surface, while the red bubble pays homage to the iconic Tokyo Tower.
Tokyo: Nike Air Max 98 “Tokyo In The Air” by Nari Kakuwa
Kakuwa’s ON AIR concept flips the Tokyo skyline upside-down while muted gray tones nod to the structures that dot the city skyline.
Shanghai: Nike Air Max 97 “Kaleidoscope” by Cash Ru
The SH Kaleidoscope reflects Ru’s impression of the clouds floating along Shanghai’s skies: shifting and dissipating to create new forms and shapes.
Shanghai: Nike Air Max 270 “Kung Fu Soul” by Harry Wong
Made to look like kung fu slippers, Wong’s shoes balance the sport’s strong, controlled speed and water-like fluidity.
Shanghai: Nike Air Max 97 “City Of Stars” by James Lin
Lin’s concept illustrates the flickering lights of Shanghai’s skyline, set against a night sky filled with effervescent starlight.
