The Nike Air Max 95 is Radical in Ripstop
The has emerged in a striking grey, crimson and navy colourway, which deviates from the signature layered upper, and instead goes for a tonal look. Instead of the usual microfibre materials, there’s a lot more leather going on here, and it’s paired adjacent to suede and mesh layers. But the true marvel of this design is its unorthodox use of ripstop material on its tongue and lace loops.
On the colourway front, that vibrant crimson tongue scorches through the otherwise flat upper, and is complemented underfoot with the shaded Air units. The lace loops are so intriguing to look at in their ripstop alternative, and really add a fresh new facelift to the 25-year-old design, especially as this key area has been highlighted in navy. Which is matched down below with the outsole colour.
While this AM95 doesn’t make use of its distinct layered upper, its story still needs to be told. Back in the early 1990s, Nike designer Sergio Lozano was reportedly staring out his Beaverton office window on a rainy day. As he imagined the raindrops eroding the landscape to reveal the undergrowth, the concept of hidden layers resonated heavily. After analysing the anatomy of a foot, he fused these two design cues, resulting in the idiosyncratic ‘greydient’ panels that became the Air Max 95’s iconic feature.
Units of this grey Air Max 95 should be hitting Nike and selected Swoosh stockists in the coming weeks.