Following last year’s Mac Attack comeback, Nike turns their attention to one of the biggest tennis stars of the 90s, Andre Agassi. Throughout the decade, Agassi became famous not just for his playing, but for his unique style. He broke traditions on the court with vibrant neon colours, denim shorts and a long flowing mullet. Now, Nike is tapping into this iconoclastic style, bringing back the Air Tech Challenge 2.
Last weekend, Agassi posted a few photos of the shoe on Instagram, around the time of the Pickleball Slam 2. Aggasi also added the simple caption “ATC 2 🌎”, hinting at an upcoming global release. The specific ‘Hot Lava’ colourway features Agassi’s signature neon flare on its red splatter prints, Swooshes and tongue tag. The rest of the upper comes in white leather, with this latest retro adding contemporary pre-aged cream tones on its Air midsole.
The Air Tech Challenge 2 was originally released in 1990, designed by Tinker Hatfield. Much like his work on the Air Jordan line, Hatfield tailored the shoe around Agassi’s personality. Hatfield leant into an ‘anti-country club’ ethos, designing not just the ATC 2, but a whole line of apparel in eye-catching neon colourways.
Worn by 90s figures like Agassi and Jerry Seinfeld, the Air Tech Challenge series has attained a cult classic status. You might also recognise the ACT 2’s specific Air midsole, which also appeared on the Nike Air Yeezy 2s. Unlike the rest of the series, the ATC 2 has been rereleased pretty regularly, with retros dropping in 2008, 2014, 2016, and 2019. In 2024, the ATC 2 seems to fit right into the current landscape of brands putting out more diverse retros from their archives.
Stay tuned to KLEKTIVE for more updates on upcoming releases
