Streetwear brand Stüssy has joined forces with Nike again to release its latest sneaker, the Stüssy x Nike Air Flight 89.
The new shoe hits shelves on December 8th, after rumours of a collaboration have been circulating for months to celebrate Stüssy’s 35th birthday.
The latest product was inspired by the Air Jordan 4 and features a chunky exterior, basketball-themed detail, and co-branding on the tongue and underfoot.
Stüssy, which is known for transforming classic materials, upgraded the Air Flight 89’s leather for a more luxurious feel. Faux snakeskin has also been added across the lateral and medial sidewells to give it that stylish look.
It is available in three colours - the White/Habanero Red, Black/White and White/Pecan - while more colours are expected to emerge next year.
This is not the first time Stüssy has collaborated with Nike, as it famously transformed the Air Zoom Spiridon by covering it in hemp in 2020. The following year, it added soft nubuck leather to the Air Huarache.
Stüssy also launched comfortable sportswear with Nike in the form of a varsity jacket, water repellent shorts, fleece pants, hoodies and a sweat-wicking long-sleeve top earlier this year.
Air Flight 89s first launched onto the scene in the late ‘80s when huge basketball stars of the time, including Michael Jordan, caused their popularity to surge. Tinker Hatfield’s design was so revolutionary that it has been re-released multiple times over the years.
It was only when the Air Jordans popularity soared that the Air Flight 89s took a step back before they were freshened up and brought back in 2022.
Michael Jordan’s infamy at the time meant that nothing could compete with Air Jordans, and they remained so popular that the Brand Jordan was introduced in 1997. Since then, it has produced both shoes and clothing wear, with the latest model, the Air Jordan XXXVII being released to the public as recently as July 2022.
The newest version of the Nike Air Flight 89 has had a modern facelift, with a bouncy midsole, mesh collars, and midfoot swooshes. It also comes with SS motifs, printed insoles and comes in a co-branded box.
Of course, ‘Nike Air’ phrasing still features at the rear of the sneaker, so everyone can see what brand of sneaker you are wearing.
Even those who aren’t big NBA fans are sure to want to get their hands on a pair of these, whether they even play basketball or not. The comfort high-rise sneaker exudes both style and substance meaning they are sure to sell out quickly, particularly during the pre-Christmas shopping rush.
It is no secret that Nike loves a collaboration, and has worked with many celebrities and other designers over the years.
These include the likes of Louis Vuitton and Dior, as well as Drake, Serena Williams, and even Vogue’s infamous editor Anna Wintour, with die-hard Nike fans remembering the AJI High Zip AWOK University Red or off-white Sail sneaker featuring a circle-pull metal zipper.
One of Nike’s most recent unions is with England footballer Marcus Rashford, with the manufacturer using the rising star to catapult the new sneakers across the world.
Having played for Manchester United for eight years already, Rashford has a ready-made fanbase. In fact, nearly 17 million people follow the 26-year-old on Instagram.
So it is not hard to see why Nike created the Better Believe It collection with the young footballer, who is also well known for its altruistic efforts when campaigning for free school meals.
The shoes are white with elements of orange, pink and yellow, so are a great choice if you want something to brighten up your wardrobe.
They also feature his initials ‘MR’ on the collar, while “When you believe in yourself, incredible things can happen” is inscribed on the heel.
Rashford fans will also like the footballer’s own version of the Nike Air Max Pulse, which comes in light blue, white and grey, although there is yet to be a red and white version to match his Manchester United colours.
Only time will tell whether his Nike collab will become as popular as the Air Jordans were, but Nike is currently focussing on its Stüssy partnership.
The latest basketball sneakers prove that Nike, which has been going for 60 years, is still leading the way at producing shoes that tick the boxes when it comes to both style and comfort.
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