SPOTLIGHT: Nike’s got us locked in with their upcoming SNKRS releases Part 1

It’s been a little over a week since Nike did their 2024/2025 SNKRS showcase and I took some time to really stew (and I mean stew) over the upcoming releases that got people doing double takes and calendar marking.

While there are several silhouettes that are sure to sell out quick, there will be some that may take a while for people to embrace, but should get a better sense of it once they understand its cultural signifcance. So let’s quit the chitchat and go over the SNKRS rundown based on how they unveiled it on the stream:

With the unveiling done in Paris (which was in the thick of Paris Fashion Week, I might add), it was only fitting that they kicked things off (pun intended) with their Field Classics/Look of Field collection. Both the Total 90 III SP and Gato make its return.

The Total 90 III SP had its share of the spotlight back in the late 90s/early 2000s as kids from all over (including myself) wore them off the pitch and made it an everyday staple. The T90 III now comes in three colorways, all with patent leather uppers, reminiscent of that time when they first dropped. The Total 90 III SP is set to release in Spring 2025.

The Gato on the other hand was the brand’s indoor soccer silhouette during the same period. The low profile silhouette fits right in to today’s sensibilities, with some tweaks on the shoe’s upper, using suede and mesh uppers. Four colorways are set to release for the Gato, releasing Holiday 2024.

Things heat up with Nike’s ICONS Collection. I can see a lot more Swoosh loyalists lean towards this set of releases. During the stream, Nike unveiled the Air Force 1 Paris, Air Force 1 Vanta Black, the Dunk Berlin, Air Rift, Footscape Woven ‘Rainbow’, and the Goadome PRM ‘Black’.

I need to see the Air Force 1 ‘Paris’ up close. The shoe takes inspiration from the lesser known parts of the city. The perforations on the toe box resemble the radial streets of the city. The graphic on the soles resemble the city’s catacombs, and there’s a metal plaque of the Nike’s trademark on the heel. The leathers on this shoe are just amazing, and should improve over time like other premium leather AF1s we’ve seen before. The Air Force 1 ‘Paris’ is set to drop Fall 2024.

This is definitely a fresh take on the blacked out AF1. The Air Force 1 ‘Vanta Black’. Vanta Black is one of the darkest pigments on the black scale, with its upper done in suede and nubuck. These are expected to drop on Holiday 2024.

If you’re still on your Dunk phase, you might want to consider these — the Dunk Low ‘Berlin’. Also releasing this Holiday 2024, the ‘Berlin’ Dunk takes inspiration from Berlin’s unique club culture. While it may not be as evident in photos, the upper has unique graphics or ‘tattoos’ give the shoe extra character. The patent leather hits different, especially with the ring ornament dangling to the side. If Europeans were to shift to a Dunk silhouette, this definitely is it.

The Air Rift PRM is the modern day Mary Jane. Among the silhouettes in this collection, this shoe doesn’t get enough praise as it should. Initially drawn up to be a barefoot/trail-running sneaker, the Air Rift became a fan favorite of collectors due to its unique build. Back then, it was unheard of for a pair to have a split-toe execution (the Gel-Lyte III only had a split-tongue), and this knocked it out of the park. The black and red leather variants are set to drop Holiday 2024. The leathers on the black are buttery good. Expect to see the Beige and Brown suede pairs release in Spring 2025.

This has got to be one of my favorites from the showcase. The Footscape Woven‘s been a cult classic across the globe, getting collectors from all over, most notably from Japan, for this asymmetrically-sound sneaker. The rainbow woven pattern initially dropped in ’05, the slight tweak in the colors is still a worthy pickup. Similar to some of the retro releases of the Footscape Woven, the ‘Rainbow’ will have the OG tooling on the shoe’s midsole/outsole. The shoe is set to also drop Holiday 2024.

The last shoe from the ICONS colleciton is a hefty boy, the Nike Goadome PRM ‘Black’. The heavy duty boot comes with weather-resistant leathers, metal Swoosh and eyelets, giving you that workman’s everyday boot feel. The Goadome stays comfy as it is equipped with Air soles on both forefoot and heel. The shoe drops Holiday 2024 as well.

For these two collections, I’m not mad at it. Nike did good using premium materials on these pairs. The shift with the low profile silhouettes will definitely get a lot of fans back, while the icons will keep the loyalists at bay. Do note that this is just half of what’s set to release from Nike over the next few seasons. There’s more to come and we’re here for it.

Read up on Part II tomorrow as we go through the rest of the SNKRS showcase.