John Kim The Nike Air Max 1 “Low Poly” already ranks among the brand’s most inventive recent releases of the dotSwoosh era, and a newly surfaced production sample offers a glimpse at the earlier stages of how the concept came together.
Unlike the retail version, which employed vibrant red hues as a tribute to the original Air Max 1, this early sample adopts a neutral grey-and-white palette paired with a gum rubber outsole, immediately drawing comparisons to the mythical “Try-On” editions from the late 2000s.
Notably, the sample already features the geometric, polygon-inspired overlays that gave the “Low Poly” its name. The most noticeable departure from the retail pair comes at the white mesh base, where the retail pair’s polygon-patterned mesh is replaced by a standard white mesh construction.
The pair appears to be an early production sample used to validate the modified upper before the final colors and materials were approved. As mentioned, the eventual retail release embraced a bold red palette inspired by the original Air Max 1, while this prototype offers a cleaner look at the underlying construction that brought the concept to life.
The Air Max 1 Low Poly eventually released on October 8th, 2024 via a pre-order for $150, with orders shipped out roughly 120 days after the pre-order date. What followed was a series of other drops with unofficial homages to retro video games such as Donkey Kong Country and 007: Golden-Eye.
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- Nike Air Max 1 Low Poly Sample buddhakicks
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- Nike Air Max 1 Low Poly Sample buddhakicks
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- Nike Air Max 1 Low Poly Sample buddhakicks
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- Nike Air Max 1 Low Poly Sample buddhakicks
