Nike Remixes a Classic with the Nike Air Max 90 “Mixtape”

QUICK TAKE:

The Nike Air Max 90 is a classic silhouette from the Swoosh that has not gotten much love in the last few years. The shoe returns in a big way this month; however, with a special colorway inspired by mixtapes of yesteryear. The mixtape motif is used to allude to some of the iconic Air Max 90 models of the past. Nostalgic Nikeheads and young sneakerheads who have not seen the model often will definitely be in for this new jam.

DESIGN:

At first glance, these Air Max 90s are the perfect summer pair, with a base of white mesh, grey and off-white leather overlays, and yellow accents for the Swoosh, Nike Air bubble and laces. But, Nike put the extra work into the shoe, adding numerous details. First, both tongues feature a “Side A” and “Side B” marking, with the shoe’s style code, color scheme, and manufacturing listed farther down the tongue. This Virgil-inspired look is increased with a “33 1/3” RPM which alludes to the speed a vinyl record plays, playing into the overall ‘mixtape’ vibes.

The shoe’s detailing continues with a classic Nike logo tag on the tongue and cross-stitching on the heel. The wearer also gets a luxurious cork footbed to form to the foot. Finally, on the translucent outsole, a hand-written “track list” of eight iconic colorways – OG Infrared, King Of The Mountain, Anniversary Cork, Moon Landing, Lemon Frost, Untold Truth, OG Ostrich, and BRS Powerwall – completes this ode to the Air Max 90’s history.

ANALYSIS:

I love this release from Nike. Along with the Nike Air Max 1 x Nike Air Huarache ‘DNA Ch. 1’ pack, this throwback to the greatness of classic Nike Air Max models is awesome. In recent years, the most sought after colorways have come in the form of collaborative projects, and seeing Nike do more interesting colorways on its own time. 2019 is also seeing some more eye-popping Nike SB general releases. Is the Swoosh trying to focus on their own internal design, again?

RELEASE INFORMATION:

You can expect the Nike Air Max 90 ‘Mixtape’ to drop on June 15th for $170 USD via Nike.com and other Nike retailers.