There is no denying the influence that Ronnie Fieg has in streetwear. Since founding Kith in 2011, the native New Yorker has been slowly transforming his brand into a global powerhouse. As a self-certified sneakerhead, Fieg knows only all too well how rewarding the hunt for a pair of sneakers can be. With Kith opening its new flagship in Tokyo this weekend, Fieg is making sure that sneakerheads have to work hard to cop his Kith x Nike Air Force 1.
In an Instagram post yesterday, Fieg explained the importance of the Nike Air Force 1 to him when he was growing up. Fieg explained that:
“In the early 2000s (mainly 2001) Nike began releasing exclusive Air Force 1’s in Japan that weren’t available anywhere else. This program was called Concept Japan or co.JP. I was doing everything possible from my bedroom in Queens to get my hands on them. Hunting online, trying to make connections overseas, etc. To this day, the co.JP AF1s are some of my favorite ever. Not only for their unique colorways and materials, but also for how hard they were to get. Moments like these are why I truly love footwear.
“Finally, my dreams were realized when the good people at the Swoosh saw my vision and we worked together to relive the era of the co.JP’s with a Japan-exclusive Air Force 1 of my own. Inspired by the Japan flag (which is seen on the tongue label), we used a premium white leather upper with red hits like the velvet lining. We rounded it out with classic elements like a vintage off-white sole and an embroidered mini-Swoosh on the forefoot. Our Kith monogram on the quarter panels was the final seal of approval.
“The Kith x Nike Air Force 1 “Tokyo” will release in-store only at Kith Tokyo this Saturday 7/4. It will never release online or at any other Kith shop. For those of you who don’t live in Tokyo, I hope you appreciate the hunt the way I did 20 years ago.“
This may be disappointing news for some sneakerheads, but we think the concept is great. With a new generation of sneakerheads having the entire world at their fingertips, launching the sneaker this way is a nice change. If you’re looking to cop the Kith x Nike Air Force 1s, then good luck. The sneakers will launch exclusively at Kith Tokyo on Saturday July 4th.
Check out the images below and let us know if you’ll cop these Kith Air Force 1s.
Image Source: Nike
