Nike is releasing not one but two sneakers in conjunction with this year’s Puerto Rican Day Parade. The parade is held on the second Sunday in June, in honor of the nearly four million inhabitants of Puerto Rico and all people of Puerto Rican heritage residing on the U.S. mainland.
The Puerto Rican flag is embroidered on the heel of the Air Max 1. The white upper is contrasted with blue and red on the mud guards, Swooshes, and heel, with the left and right shoe adopting reverse color blocking. The words “Pa’lante” and “Mi Gente” are found on the inner side of the tongue tag, which is a Puerto Rican phrase that translates to “Forward, my people”.
The Air Force 1 features a white leather upper on the front with an intricate line art design on the back, the same type of art that can be found on murals in Puerto Rico. The native “coquí” frog is a symbol of Puerto Rico and is featured as part of the design as well as on the insole. Completing the design is Nike PR branding on the tongue tab and heel, plus an icy outsole.
The Puerto Rican Day Parade is held on June 9th this year, so expect these to arrive around that date. The Air Max 1 has a retail price of $140, while the Air Force 1 has a retail price of $100.