Nike x Sean Wotherspoon

Nike x Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 1/97

Over the past year no other Nike shoe has been as eagerly awaited as the Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97. As the crowning finale of the "Month Of Air", the collaboration with Sean Wotherspoon celebrates its big release at the end of March. But what is actually behind the unusual hybrid with its stunning colorway?

The whole story began a year ago. On Air Max Day, Nike announced a very special competition: As part of the Air Max "Vote Forward" contest, the community itself was allowed to design sneakers that would actually be released. The winner: Sean Wotherspoon. He is an avid sneaker collector and founder of the Round Two sneaker store in Richmond, Virginia.

Wotherspoon's idea was to combine the best elements of two timeless Air Max icons: While the sole was incorporated from the 1, the upper of the 97 adorns the top of the sneaker. Corduroy fabrics in green, purple, blue, orange, gray and yellow make the incomparable look perfect. By the way, Wotherspoon was inspired by the characteristic vintage hats of the 80s.

The sneaker collector also designed his own icons for the release: The smiley with the swoosh was inspired by Wotherspoon's claim "Have a Nike Day" and can be found on the inner sole of the sneaker. In addition, the "Round Two" founder created special patches. The Nike patches on the tongue can be replaced with special "Wave" patches - inspired by the wave-shaped upper of the 97.