Monochromatic strips juxtapose a primarily beige upper to trigger thoughts of Tisci’s two previous Nike + R.T. AF1 installments. From the tumbled leather Swoosh to the custom made and marked midsole, the world-renowned designer spares no detail in reinterpreting the Uptown. Four striking styles, each wrapped in custom Nike + R.T. #AF1 packaging, complete the collection. Available October 16 at Nike.
Now constructed with Vachetta leather, the Nike + R.T. AF1 Collection employs neutral colorblocking to highlight its distinct design language. Additionally, the untreated upper is designed to patina as it ages, taking on an evolving identity with each wear. Four striking styles, each wrapped in custom Nike + R.T. #AF1 packaging, complete the collection
NikeLab presents the third and final installment of the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 trilogy with the release of the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 collection in beige. Joining the family of AF1s with the preceding Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 collections in white and black, all three colorways represent the power of sport to unite disparate tribes under one love – love of the Nike Air Force 1.
Sport possesses a rare ability to unite people from all walks of life under a common obsession, and basketball is no different. For basketball fanatics the absolutes don’t divide the community but rather creates a catalyst for a diverse group of people to come together under one identity. When a community galvanizes against one ideal, the result is the formation of a modern day tribe.
Tribe culture, as Tisci describes, is a reflection of the youth generation today.
“Everyone in the world needs identity so they are all making themselves into tribes.” Tisci continues, “They are more Goth, more pure or more punk, more rap, more R&B…You can have a million different tribes, but it’s always one thing that unites them.”
The common link among the basketball tribe is reverence for the icon that helped kick start a phenomenon. Since 1982, the Nike Air Force 1 has served as an underground symbol of unity for a community whose affection has carried the Nike Air Force 1 beyond the court into street culture. Once confined to the I-95 corridor of North America’s East Coast, the AF1 has since grown to permeate the boundaries of various scenes and genders across the world to become a unisex emblem of unity.
Tisci’s intent with the Nike + R.T. AF1 collection was to exemplify the distinct personalities of this tribe with a collection that celebrates its diversity through three generations of loyalty. The White Collection speaks to Tisci’s respect for the heritage of the AF1 by preserving the purity of the original. The Black Collection underscores his admiration for subversive street culture with a mechanical expression, and the Beige Collection serves as an initiation for new members to join diehards under one love for the AF1.
As with the earlier collections, the Nike + R.T. AF1 Collection in beige introduces four striking styles crafted with premium leather. The supple material provides comfort and durability, while a tumbled leather Swoosh adds eye-catching contrast. Similarly, the shoes’ tongues and heels are fashioned from synthetic suede, with heat-pressed TPU no-sew panels that enhance their strength and intensify their appearance—as do modified toe box perforations.
A new, low-profile midsole unites lightweight Phylon cushioning with Tisci’s trademark bravado—visible via progressive textures and detailed overlays—and joint R.T. and Nike Air branding. The shoes also boast a cup sole and a non-marking rubber outsole, which enhances traction and resilience, and underscores a focus on functionality.
These defining features manifest in the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 Lo: a rebellious take on the game-changing shoe introduced in 1982; the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 Mid: a remix of the 1990s classic; the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 Hi: an exaggerated version of the celebrated street-sport style that features mask-like heel applications and an embellished height; and the Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 Boot, an avant-garde design specifically for women, which extends the shoe to knee height.
Additionally, each pair comes wrapped in custom Nike + R.T. Air Force 1 packaging.
