Nike's Latest Air Max 1 Design Takes Inspiration from "Wagashi" – Traditional Japanese Sweets
In collaboration with sneaker customizer Chase Shiel and photographer Ryustyler.
Known for his #DeliciousKicks series on Instagram, photographer Ryustyler has been pairing sneakers with food and posting them on the social media platform for quite some time now. Following his successful collaboration with sneaker customizer Chase Shiel on the “Matcha” Air Jordan 1, the creative duo has teamed up again for another project featuring the “Wagashi” Nike Air Max 1.
The new custom shoe‘s color palette takes inspiration from the delicate art of wagashi, which are traditional Japanese confections that are often served with tea. The silhouette features delicately balanced pastel hues with luxurious nubuck and pigskin sourced directly from Japan. The body of the pair is made out of buttery boar leather along with a fully-lined leather interior and leather insoles providing premium comfort and fit.
Shiel has also integrated intricate details like the icy sole, custom-made translucent laces inspired by wagashi ingredients and a laser-engraved floral motif on the Swoosh. The sneakers arrive in a beautifully packaged shoebox made with handwoven Japanese fabric and wrapped by hand in traditional furoshiki style. To top it off, the pack includes a signed lookbook featuring exclusive photos by Ryustyler, and behind-the-scenes looks at the process of curating the shoe.
Take a detailed look at the “Wagashi” Air Max 1 by Ryustyler x Chase Shiel in the gallery above and a closer look below, which is set to drop on October 20 at Chase Shiel’s website in a limited run. In case you missed it, be sure to check out the same silhouette in “Wolf Grey.”
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