Nike Air Force 1 Low x Off-White™

This Nike Air Force 1 Low x Off-White™ sneaker features a deconstructed design that was masterminded by the great designer Virgil Abloh. Black is the foundational colour across the shoe, covering the entire sole unit with the exception of a set of white Air lettering in bold, capitalised letters and within the trademark quotation marks seen on Abloh’s other Nike collaborations. The outsole, meanwhile, has a more conventional finish, its ringed formations spreading across the forefoot and heel to offer excellent traction. Added to this is a bouncy pocket of Air inside the heel of the midsole for soft comfort.

The black theme continues throughout the various durable materials of the upper. Strong ripstop fabrics form the forefoot mudguard and the heel overlay, which curves upwards toward the heel panel, revealing a textured surface underneath. The midfoot panels and toe box are made from a tight synthetic mesh, and the seams that connect all these pieces together are reinforced with additional taping.

The toe box is marked with lines of grey spots where the perforations would normally be, but the mesh means they are not required for breathability here. Above this section, the eyestay is made of plush black suede which is loose at the top. The same material loops around the edge of the collar just below its exposed foam, and moves into the heel panel, whose lower edge is also unattached. A swoosh is imprinted into this panel just below the word “Logo”, creating a somewhat off-kilter aesthetic. In the centre of the heel itself, there is another set of mysterious text that reads “HO18-MNSBSK-131”, underneath which is a line of hashtags and numbers that varies depending on the shoe.

Large white swooshes highlight the flanks, their bright colouration contrasting boldly against the black behind it. Zigzag white stitching joins them to the upper, and the lateral logo is adorned with an orange tag that pokes out below its tail. Meanwhile, the medial one lies across a paragraph of Helvetica text in white that reveals certain information related to the shoe’s design.

Sturdy black laces with zigzag grey patterns and white “Shoelaces” lettering tie together over a tongue with exposed foam at the top. An offset white label is sewn into its lateral side, while Nike text, an orange swoosh and the word “Sportswear” are embroidered into it. A white zip tie hangs off the laces in typical Off-White™ fashion, before some final details decorate the shoe’s black insole. Upon its surface are two white quadrilateral shapes, one containing the criss-cross logo of the luxury fashion label, the other neat text that says “The Ten” – a reference to Abloh’s breathtaking debut Nike collaboration.