It’s no secret that Nike and the Jordan Brand have created quite a stir with their collaborations with elite brands from around the globe. From traversing the fashion world with Louis Vuitton to venturing into the realm of avant-garde with Off-White, they’ve crafted some drool-worthy sneakers that led to quite a few of us incessantly yearning for a pair. Nevertheless, there is one design that has left fans wanting more: the combo of Nike and Italian fashion giant Gucci. In 2012 Jordan Brand launched the Jordan 1 Retro “Green Gucci” – a sneaker that, although very pleasant, could have offered fans, well, more (including an official team-up). It’s been over a decade since this release, and we can’t help but think it’s about time these two giants actually came together for a sneaker design.
The Jordan 1 Retro “Green Gucci” offered an intriguing blend, merging Gucci’s luxury appeal with Jordan’s sporty charm. With its black leather base and Gucci’s classic red and green colours, the sneaker quickly became a hit among fans.
However, many enthusiasts have observed that the design was distinctly more evocative of Jordan’s signature style rather than Gucci’s customary flair. And even though it’s still in high demand and holds good value in the resale market, it makes you wonder: what could the design have looked like if it had been an actual collaboration? If sneaker fans were presented with an actual team-up between Gucci and Nike, we think they’d appreciate a bolder, boundary-pushing design that truly shows off the best of both brands.
Thankfully, skilled 3D artists like Leroy Van Drie (@leroi3) exist to steer these brands in the right direction. This talented creative has designed a concept for a pair of Air Jordan 1 x Gucci sneakers. The design draws inspiration from the luxury label’s latest bohemian floral pattern and also incorporates other characteristic elements to create a head-turning aesthetic. This seamless fusion of streetwear and haute couture is precisely the sort of thing fans would like to see in any future Gucci and Nike collaborations.
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The sneaker’s base fabric is a dark shade of blue denim, covering the toe box tongue, quarter panels, and heels. However, Gucci’s stunning floral print adds an extra dash of elegance to the quarter panels.
The overlays are then dressed in rich, textured dark brown leather, accentuated by a matching set of laces. Speaking of which, a metallic gold lace dubrae, moulded in the form of the Gucci logo, adds a luxurious touch to the bottom of the laces. Right at the top is a classic touch – a Gucci scarf, stylishly knotted, adding a voguish look to the sneaker.
The other branding details on the shoe also sport a matching metallic gold colour, giving the shoe an overall luxurious feel. However, a feature we may never witness in any actual collaborations between Jordan and Gucci is the iconic Swoosh combined with Gucci branding on the side of the Air Jordan 1 sneaker. Interesting.
As beautiful as this concept is, the million-pound question hanging in the air is: will the future see an iconic Jordan and Gucci team up? With silence from both sides, we can only watch this space and hope for a sterling Nike Air Jordan x Gucci sneaker to grace the market in the future. What do you think?
Would you love to see a Nike Air Jordan 1 x Gucci collaboration between the two brands in the foreseeable future? What are you hoping for from the shoe’s aesthetics?
