Nike's updated Air Monarch, the M2K Tekno, is already beginning to hit retailers with an official release locked in for early next month. Ahead of the drop, Nike senior footwear designer Jin Hong is sharing insight on how the sneaker came to be—and revealing that men almost had to sit this one out.
"The goal in designing the M2K Techno was to maintain the Monarch's authentically bold stance while creating fresh features, thus revising what the Monarch could be for 2018," Hong said in a press release.
Hong, who was also one of the few designers selected to work on the brand's The 1 Reimagined collection, also shared an interesting tidbit about the sneaker's gender availability. "We designed the shoe for women, so it’s really refreshing to see men taking a keen interest," she said.
Women will have the first shot at the M2K Tekno when it drops May 5 in the "Phantom/Oil Grey" colorway pictured above and a second black and volt style for $100 each.
Following the debut, the sneakers will launch in men's sizing on July 1. Find out what can be expected from the men's colorways here.
