When it comes to limited edition Nike trainers, there are many vintage items out there. However, there is no doubt few things can cause more excitement than news of another Nike Air Jordan drop.
This spring’s big drop is the Air Jordan Pine Green. It may help if green is your favourite colour, of course, for these are very green indeed, but almost anything in the Air Jordan range will get some people excited and there may be many reasons this one will too.
Officially titled the Nike Air Force 1 Mid x Off-White ‘Pine Green’, it has been hailed by Man of Many as evidence that “Virgil Abloh’s legacy continues to shine bright”.
It added: “In celebration of the AF-1’s 40th anniversary, Abloh reimagined the iconic silhouette with a modern twist while paying homage to its roots.” It added that the pine green leather of the shoe is “a nod to the I-95 corridor where the AF-1’s legacy was born”.
Other notable features highlighted in the review included the “airbrush-inspired branding” and “dual lace system”, which brings together standard laces with Flywire cables.
“These elements give wearers the ability to customise their look while staying true to the classic AF-1 design”, the review added, concluding that the “fresh and modern take” on a vintage design would be welcomed by both the Air Force 1 Mid and Abloh fan clubs.
Clearly, then, it’s exciting stuff, but is it something everyone will like? At first, the GQ Magazine review description of the shoe as “one of the weirdest sneakers of the year” in its headline might suggest not, but the sub-heading declares that the unusual elements are actually why people should love it.
As reviewer Adam Cheung put it: “In an industry where most sneakers look almost identical to each other, it's good to be different,” adding: “that's where releases like the Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Mid ‘Pine Green’ shine.”
Somewhat poignantly, the review notes that Mr Abloh died in 2021 but, his wife confirmed, there was still over a year’s worth of new designs in the pipeline. In this particular case, it is the third version of the mid-top Air Force 1, but the first to drop the knit upper in favour of full leather. That, therefore, makes this one of a kind.
Describing the Off-White - Nike partnership as “one of the most influential collaborations in recent memory,” the review concluded that the various novel products it created - which ”blurred the line between luxury fashion and streetwear” - came because Nike was prepared to take a chance on Virgil Abloh’s creative talents, having “pretty much handed him the keys” on ten iconic models.
Such complimentary reviews highlight the fact that this is a sneaker that truly stands out, even among the Air Force 1 range. Whether you would like to describe it as ‘weird’ or not, the fact that it clearly has distinct and unique features is surely enough to have many looking to get their hands on a pair as soon as possible.
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