Breaking Down the Billie Eilish x Nike Air Force 1 High
and , Inc. have one of the most unparalleled artist/brand relationships in the world of sneakers today. Eilish is a global pop star with seven Grammy Awards under her belt, but although her music is loved worldwide her taste in sneakers is much more niche. Her past two collaborations with – a muted and a shockingly bright – both spotlighted more obscure models in the Air Jordan catelogue, and even though she's now working on the , Nike's most popular sneaker of all time, she's still added an off-the-beaten-path twist to it. 'The challenge and opportunity with this collection was to respect the originals, but make them my own,' she said. 'It was also important for me to mix in environmentally preferred materials where we could and present them in a way that felt fresh.'
Dressed entirely in a muted 'Mushroom' colourway recognizable from her above-mentioned take on 15th signature sneaker, Eilish's high-top Air Force 1 features a synthetic nubuck upper that's made of 80 per cent recycled materials and also boasts details made fully of recycled polyester. Even the midsole gets into the mix, calling upon recycled NikeGrind rubber.
Though there are laces on the Billie Eilish x Nike Air Force 1 High, they're hardly noticable because they're covered by the shoe's most notable detail: five large Velcro straps that emphasize the artist's love of oversized clothing. Nike have noted that this design detail also draws from strap-equipped classics like the Alpha Force Low and . Other details include Eilish's signature Blohsh logo emblazoned on the lace deubre, insoles that feature a Billie Eilish logo on the top half and 'It's hard to stop once it starts' – a lyric from 2021's 'Billie Bossa Nova' on the bottom – and a unique shoebox.
Expect the Billie Eilish x Nike Air Force 1 High to release via Eilish's web store on April 24, then hit Nike SNKRS on April 25, accompanied by a hoodie, sweatpants and a T-shirt. It's priced at $170.