Sneaker News Updated January 19th, 2026: Months later, John Geiger reveals yet another teaser on his Instagram stories. He shares a look at the cardboard shoe-trees typically found inside Air Force 1s, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice a GF-1 mark.
Below is the original article published on October 15th, 2025.
John Geiger has established himself as a legit player in the independent shoe brand circuit through his namesake brand. He just teased something that may send the brand to the next level.
Best known for the GF-01, a retro-style silhouette that took inspiration from the Air Force 1, Geiger first gained notoriety in the footwear world for his epic “Misplaced Checks” customs from 2015. Below is a 2017 version of the design, made in collaboration with The Shoe Surgeon.
Geiger was famously hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit by Nike in 2021; by 2022, the two sides came to an amicable agreement that allowed Geiger to continue his journey, but with some key modifications to the model to distance itself from the Air Force 1.
Fast-forward to the present day and Geiger dropped quite the provoking teaser on his Instagram Stories, revealing a portion of a sneaker that appears to have the same multi-Swooshed design as his notorious custom, lace-tips featuring “geiger”, and his signature JG logo printed all over tissue paper. He further confirms on Twitter that “they ain’t customs,” suggesting the shoes pictured are an official partnership with a brand.
While no outright Nike brand markings are visible, the belly section of the three Swoosh logos are enough to suggest that an Air Force 1 collaboration could be in the works. This is a developing story, so stay tuned.
