Michael Le In all these years, Nike has yet to explore the world of Lucha Libre, a freestyle form of wrestling that lies at the heart of Mexican culture. That all changes in just a couple of days, as the Swoosh — with “serious respect” — is crafting both footwear and apparel inspired by this colorful world. Nods to both the luchador’s masks as well as the posters they’re portrayed boldly atop are present throughout, dressing the Blazer Mid, Air Force 1, Air Max 90, and droves of apparel.
Each their own inspiration, the silhouettes highlight motifs prolific throughout the scene, creating three very distinct colorways. The Blazer Mid, for starters, incorporates exotic snakeskin, applying it across the forefoot, profile, and heel. Underneath, a glistening green satin lays the base, its exterior wrapped over with black strings and gilded checks. The Air Force 1, in contrast, is ridden with metallic leathers. A silver foundation is kept rather simple so as to not distract from the removable synthetic mask. The Air Max 90, while comparatively simple in its black and white set-up, uses its palette to pay homage to the good and evil rivalry — or “Los Técnicos vs. Los Rudos” as its more accurately dubbed.
Elsewhere, the apparel distills down many of these themes for versatility. Hoodies, which display only miniature forms of branding, feature wrestling-inspired appliques, snakeskin prints, and other details used throughout the footwear.
For a close-up look at the entire collection, see below. A release is currently set to hit Nike SNKRS in Mexico on September 11th and September 14th via the Nike App. A global launch will follow shortly after on September 17th.
