Kicks 4 The KULTURE BY RAFAEL HERNANDEZ This month celebrates the one year anniversary of a legendary New York sneaker collab. In August 2019 Nike collaborated with Lower East Side’s own Scarr’s Pizza for one of the most coveted pairs of Air Force 1s in history. With Scarr’s Pizza emblazoned in orange and navy blue on its sides and the New York State seal on the heel, this has to be the most New York sneaker to hit the market. And with both partners so deeply connected to the culture it’s no wonder this collaboration happened.
players across the NBA, with each receiving their own color-way corresponding to their team colors, setting a demand for team specific pairs from the fans. After 2 years Nike was ready to discontinue the silhouette in favor of the new flavor of the moment, which was a common practice. But once word spread of this, 3 stores in Baltimore, now called “the Three Amigos,” pleaded with Nike to continue selling the shoe and Nike actually listened. So much so, Nike started making colorways specifically for their stores, they called this “the color of the month club,” where every month there was a new take on the silhouette. This sent Baltimore in a frenzy, there were lines out the door as soon as the sneakers hit the shelves. With Baltimore being the middleman between the north and the south, they had customers
For those of you who don’t know, here is a quick history lesson on the “Nike Air Force 1” Nike debuted the Nike Air Force 1 high top silhouette in 1982 which revolutionized basketball sneakers. The AF1’s thick sole provided more comfort than the traditional sneaker and the built-in air technology helped relieve the stresses of playing on hardwood floors. By 28 FNike O O DY M launched AG | ISSUE 01 1983 a campaign alongside 6
