Nike's latest take on the Air Force 1 attempts to lift the sneaker off the street and give it a more opulent spin. The shoe, called the Air Force 1 Sport Luxury, has its high-end aims reflected in its $275 price tag.
Where does the hefty price come from? A piece on Nike SNKRS breaks down the design, calling out premium elements included like the Italian leather, rose gold-plated collar ring, removable lace tips, and drop-in Lunarlon/Zoom combo insole.
According to Nike designer Devon McKinney, the approach was to make finer every aspect of the 1982 silhouette.
"What if we took the AF1 and not necessarily create a new shoe," he said, "but can we look at every little detail on this shoe and make it as premium and luxury as possible?"
In some ways, the result feels like a response to the increasingly frequent Air Force 1 ripoffs created by labels like Celine.
This Nike Air Force 1 SL will release first at Kith on Feb. 10, with a wider launch to follow on Feb. 18. The sneaker is part of Nike's 5 Decades of Basketball pack of similar designs.
Nike Air Force 1 SL High "Vachetta Tan"
Release Date: 02/18/17
Color: Vachetta Tan/Vachetta Tan-Sail
Style #: 919473-200
Price: $275
