Matt Varga Despite Nike celebrating the Air Max 95 throughout 2025 as one of their true seminal models, a generations-spanning testament to streetwear design, it’s really been a year of firsts underneath that historical air. The first time the model has worn a side Swoosh in its WORKSOUT build, the first link-up with venerated Nike partner Levi’s. Without much advance warning, Sergio Lozano’s creation is embarking on another novel composition as the PHANTACi Nike Air Max 95 surfaces.
Founded by Jay Chou, PHANTACi pours out an ode to its chief executive with this Air Max 95. Among other talents, the multi-instrumentalist is a skilled guitarist, inspiring the wood grain patterns that overtake the wavy sidewalls of the 110, alluding to the silhouette’s iconic gradients with darkening polishes as you work upwards in that section. Combine that with the new elastic security that branches out from the lace loops, and the literal interpretation of the string instrument becomes clear; a guitar pick hang-tag solidifies that if you weren’t convinced.
Importantly, PHANTACi was one of the first names that helped Nike “open the vault” in 2024, the start of the current stretch in which collaborative efforts have hit the public anew. In many ways, the reissue of their 2009 “Grand Piano” Air Max 1 helped whet palettes for shoes like the Patta Air Max 1, Wu-Tang Dunk, and eventually the Undefeated Jordan 4. Reaching back to Jay Chou’s label a year later is only a natural play, bringing an essential piece of the Air Max legacy to its current golden child.
Despite these official images hitting Nike servers, we know little about a concrete release date or retail price. Keep watch over this pair via this article and our Sneaker Release Dates page, as this is sure to be a heavily-watched pair upon launch.
