Matt Varga Is all publicity really good publicity? Nike has put that truism to the test with their Paris Fashion Week opening salvo, already dividing the sneakersphere with their Nike Air Force 1 “square toe” range queued up for next year. Among previews of other experimental kicks like the Foamdome Low and laceless Air Max 97, the Swoosh is extending that blocky concept to another catalog mainstay.
Shown here is a squared-out version of the Nike Air Max 90, most notably applying those rigid lines to the toe, but going even further by applying cubist aesthetics to the full shoe. The Swoosh turns into a janky arrow, the sole unit becomes entirely polygonal, and the full profile flattens out, adding raw edges.
Of course, the “square toe” Air Force 1 previewed alongside this modified AM90 looms large, but we’re reminded of dotSWOOSH’s Air Max 1 “Low Poly,” both in the pixelated original colorway and the series that followed, issuing tacit nods to Donkey Kong, GoldenEye, and Tomb Raider. We can’t help but think that the same subversive, digitized school of thought is in play here, especially with a comprehensive green screen colorway in tow.
No doubt we’ll get the full story surrounding this square Nike Air Max 90 as we move into 2027, but it’s already a flashy conversation starter at the very least. Catch an in-hand look below.
