Here’s the Yarn on Dark Phil Knight’s Woolen Nike Air Max 1 Customs

Sneaker customisation once simply involved applying markers and paint onto sneakers to create personalised colourways. Methodology is a little more sophisticated these days, with many artists and DIYers going as far as learning the craft of shoemaking and cobbling together intricate uppers using exotic materials.

Adewale Quadri, aka Dark Phil Knight, is one of the few new-gen customisers remaking classic sneaker uppers using a unique fabric: wool. To date, the New York artist has chosen popular Nike models – namely the Air Force 1 and Dunk – and recently had his work featured at the Nike House of Innovation in NYC. However, his latest creation ventures towards the Air Max 1 for a special client.

These fuzzy orange, grey and beige AM1s essentially reference the panelling of the original uppers, but DPK has taken some creative liberties with the proportions. As such, familiar panels like the mudguard and Swoosh are distinctly enlarged to great effect. On the colourway front, these customs borrow the ‘Magma Orange’ palette that released last year. Some original hardware is retained, namely the laces, eyelets and midsoles – otherwise the sneakers wouldn’t be wearable!

These AM1 customs were created for sports marketing maven, media mogul and close friend of LeBron James, Maverick Carter.