Nike Air Rift
The Nike Air Rift is a running shoe that debuted in the 1990s. Inspired by runners in Kenya, the shoe name itself comes from the Great Rift Valley that runs through the African country. Hammering that connection home, its very first colorway represented the Kenyan flag with colors black, red, green, and white. The Air Rift is most recognized for its split-toe design or “Tabi Toe,” something rooted in traditional Japanese wear but that notably crossed over into the mainstream footwear world with the help of Margiela a few years before the Rift debuted.
Nike has attempted a few different retro efforts for the Air Rift since it petered out from its original run, but it has gained the most attention and notoriety in its most recent chapter. Earnestly beginning in 2023, its latest bring-back began to crest in 2024/25, demonstrated by spotlights in Nike’s marketing surrounding women’s footwear and various SNKRS showcases.
The Nike Air Rift is now prone to sell-out when released by Nike, with select colorways like the “Triple Black” with buckle straps and the mesh “Breathe” variation in all-black commanding well over sticker price on the resale market.
The Air Rift continues to be a factor in Nike’s seasonal offerings, dropping off scattered releases into Fall/Winter 2025. Check out the latest on the “balletcore” silhouette via the articles below.
The Nike Air Rift first released in 1995, designed by Kip Buck, Senior CAD/CAM designer at the time the model touched down. Aside from his responsibilities with the Swoosh, Buck was an extremely dedicated runner, and the kernel of the Air Rift came from his interest in Kenya’s tradition of barefoot running. As most can tell from first glance, the shoe carries an off-kilter, unorthodox design, aligning with the oddities and curios that came out of the Alpha Project in the same era.
The rise of the “ballet-core” fashion wave has been a rising tide for the Nike Air Rift, as has the increased attention towards “slim soled” sneakers, something the silhouette helps speak to with its barefoot running design. Even without those trends in place, the model’s popularity has genuine foundation in its history, including an oft-forgotten moment when Halle Berry chose the sneaker for her chapter of the “Artist Series” in 2004.
During its original run on shelves, lack of real comparison points on the market led to something of a cult following across the globe, taking hold in Japan and Europe in burgeoning internet sneaker-centric circles.
As mentioned above, the Nike Air Rift receives new colorways on a pretty consistent basis, especially picking up since the model has found new life in 2024/25. As such, fresh variations of the model release Nike.com and SNKRS in the US. In the EU, the Air Rift gets wider distribution via retail stores on top of those launches via Nike channels.
Nike Air Rift
The Nike Air Rift Goes Brogue In “Light British Tan”
If you think 2025 has been a big year for the Nike Air Rift, just wait ’til 2026. Kim Kardashian’s Nike SKIMS is set to...
This Plush Nike Air Rift Is Inspired By Harajuku Fashion
We’ll save our dissertation on the fall of the monoculture for a different time. However, you can see the varied pockets of pop culture on...
The Nike Air Rift Gives Sporty Chic In Snakeskin
Inspired by the barefoot runners of Kenya and made popular by Japanese fashionistas of the ’90s, the Nike Air Rift has been a major hit...
The Nike Air Rift Goes All Black Leather
Fashion-forward design has become something that no brand can ignore. As we return to the Y2K stylings of old, Nike is particularly fitted for the...
The Botanical Nike Air Rift In “Team Red” Drops On September 5th
Updated August 21st, 2025: The Nike Air Rift “Botanical/Team Red” is queued up on SNKRS for September 5th with a $125 retail price. Our original...
Trendy “Silver Metallic” Dawns On The Nike Air Rift
As most know, fashion is largely cyclical. When you put out as many models on a yearly basis as Nike does, you can simply reach...
Nike’s Ballet-Themed Air Rift “Black Swan” Is Coming Soon
As “balletcore” fashion continues having its social media moment, Nike is once again giving the Air Rift a ballerina-inspired makeover. Revisiting a style first seen...
Nike Adds Buckled Straps To The Air Rift
It doesn’t take a genius to understand why the Nike Air Rift has been getting more love as of late. Balletcore is the “it” aesthetic...
Nike’s Tabi-Toed Air Rift Is Coming Soon In “Healing Orange”
Women’s lifestyle sneakers continue to shift to even slimmer and lower-profile proportions, with some even adopting the high-fashion Tabi-toe. Nike’s here to remind you that...