Nigo has been one of the biggest names in streetwear. Since founding Bape in 1993, his influence has been felt across a massive range of brands and collaborators. Now, after more than three decades in the industry, he’s hit a new milestone, an official collab with Nike.
This long-awaited collaboration begins with the Air Force 3, a relatively obscure model from Nike’s archives, but a favourite of Nigo’s from the late 80s. The first colourway comes in a crisp white leather base, with suede and patent leather overlays done in yellow, green, red, pink and navy. These bold colours then cover the Nigo and Air Force branding on the tongues. There’s also an alternate colourway with a navy patent leather base.
Ever since his days at the head of Bape, Nigo has always incorporated pop culture into his designs. The iconic Bape Stas, an unofficial riff on the AF1, sported collabs with everyone from Marvel to Kanye. The colourful approach to the Air Force 3s is inspired by Super Sentai, known as Power Rangers in the West. This theme is tied together with Tokusatsu graphics on the insole and shoe box. The promos for the shoe have also featured Super Sentai or mecha-inspired characters, as well as the music video for Nigo’s new track with Young Thug, Dope Boy.
We’ve also seen glimpses of a third colourway in the works, based on the Planet of the Apes. The 1968 film was also the inspiration behind the Bathing Ape logo. so we’re coming full circle. This pair comes in a fittingly hairy upper, with brown leather overlays embossed with unique lettering, adding to the classic sci-fi aesthetic. The insoles also feature a forest graphic, with “NIKE AIR FORCE THREE” printed in font drawn straight from the films.
Let’s get back to the present. The first colourway of the Nike x Nigo Air Force 3 gets a wide release on the 4th of October. This follows a limited pop-up release last week in New York. As always, if you miss out on retail be sure to check out the listings available on the KLEKT app.
