Matt Varga Nike, Inc. is pulling absolutely every lever possible as the World Cup nears kickoff. With names like Virgil Abloh, Jacquemus, Drake, and Travis Scott aligned, no doubt the Nike Cryoshot program serves as the top-line takeaway as we parse out what the Swoosh has in store. But it’s not nearly the end of the festivities. The Nike LEGO capsule and the Jumpman’s first foray into soccer reverberate on the levels below, now joined by Nike SB in another sub-label crossover.
Though we’ve already caught wind of the Nike SB Air Max 95 contained in this Nike SB FC collection, the Swoosh has officially pulled back the curtain on everything in store. Said to be crafted with the story of “La Más Fina” in mind, or “the finest,” a range of footwear options and apparel celebrates the commonalities between soccer and skate culture, namely their shared expressiveness and community.
Further, the sneaker diehards will appreciate a link to “Club 58,” as a core set of skate retailers that were early adopters of the Nike SB mission receive shoutouts throughout four kits; Bluetile, Andrew, FTC, Geometric, Kingswell, NJ, Nocturnal, Plush, and Thirty Fifth North appear in the traditional “sponsor” spots.
It’s the sunset gradient motif in those tops that radiates through the footwear, tinting the trim and sole unit on an off-white version of the Nike SB Air Max 95. True to its title, the plusher tweaks that made the 110 skateable in Eric Koston’s release are expected here. For the completionists or those unmoved by the AM95, the Nike SB Tennis Classic makes an unexpected appearance, veering more simplistic with a neon pink and black arrangement. Padded tongues and a roomier build man the hardware, while gothic “Club 58” text also appears on the heels of this rosier counterpart.
The Nike SB FC collection, including all apparel, the Nike SB Air Max 95, and Nike SB Tennis Classic, is confirmed to release this July via Nike channels and partnering retailers. Catch campaign images while we wait for a concrete date.
