Nike has never been one to fall too far behind when it comes to technology, and as more major footwear brands step into the future of 3D-printed shoes, it was only a question of time before the Swoosh joined in on the fun.
Working with German 3D shoe experts Zellerfeld, the folks in Beaverton, Oregon, released their first 3D-printed Air Max sneakers to the public just yesterday (the 19th August). The design was introduced in two versatile colourways: a light “Oat” iteration available on Nike’s SNKRS app and a blacked-out variant on Zellerfeld’s website. Despite their $179 USD price, the sneakers have already sold out; but, to be fair, the release was pretty limited.
The Nike SNKRS release was only open for a total of ten minutes, while only 300 units of the black pair were made available on Zellerfeld’s website. Given how quickly these sold out, you can expect to see more colourways and releases in the future…which probably means we’ll be hearing more from Ye fans who think Nike copied his Yeezy aesthetic.
Given the shoe’s futuristic design, the Air Max 1000 has drawn numerous online comparisons to Ye’s Foam Runners (and other models from the rapper). You have users commenting everything from “literally a foam runner with an air bubble these companies love YE” to “Tell me, Nike copied Kanye w/o telling me Nike copied Kanye…” on Instagram.
Though we get the comparisons, the design is actually meant to be a futuristic take on the original Air Max 1 silhouette. You can see the wave-like patterns on the upper and the bubble unit in the heel of the shoes.
Of course, the team achieved a seamless look by printing almost entirely from thermoplastic polyurethane materials (the air cushion itself is not 3D printed). They also have an interesting lattice design added to the uppers. The Yeezy Foam Runner, in contrast, is a moulded piece of EVA foam.
If anything, this seems like Nike’s attempt to keep up with other major companies that are releasing 3D-printed sneakers. Adidas introduced the Climacool earlier this year, while PUMA has the Mostro 3D with A$AP Rocky. And that’s only two in a growing market.
So, sneakerheads should expect to see a lot more 3D-printed footwear releases from companies. Not only do brands like Nike say that the method saves on materials, but it also saves them the manpower. Plus, with no glued parts or stitched lines, there seems to be less chance for the shoes to fall apart. And in this economy, we could do with a little more durability in our footwear. Only time will tell if the Nike Air Max 1000 holds up well.
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