Sneakers, unless they’re stored in their box, have a pretty short lifespan. They wear out rather easily, even if you don’t put them on every day. It’s a design flaw few brands haven’t fallen victim to. It’s the nature of footwear, really. They’re the tires to your daily driver — what separates your bare feet and socks from the rain, sleet, snow, road salt and spilled drinks covering city sidewalks. But when a fresh pair of sneakers do spoil, whether by accident (busy bar, muddy music festival) or by fault of your own (spilled drink, dropped snack), it’s a bummer nonetheless.
But Nike thinks it has a fix: Meet the Air Force 1 ’07 Fresh, an iteration of the all-white Air Force 1 that will be resistant to creases, easier to clean and more breathable, making them less likely to smell, even after a few wears without socks in the dead of summer. Plus, all of the branding, which is woven on on the original AF1, is debossed, preventing non-clear liquids from permanently staining the sewing fabric. And, as an added bonus, although most sneakers come this way, Nike is throwing in an extra set of laces — woo!
Some folks live with these scuffs and stains, though, to the disgust of those that value crisp, clean kicks. Air Force 1s in particular polarize more than others — and that’s probably why Nike picked this silhouette to test its new ‘Fresh’ technology. On one side, you have those that will only step out in pairs that are both new and pearly white. On the other side, there are those that covet the “cooked” look, an adjective coined on Twitter and relayed to the masses through memes.
“Cooked” Air Force 1s have creases, dirty logos and worn-down outsoles. The laces are left with remnants of late nights; there’s residue from rides on the subway on the midsole; sticky splashes of old beer on the toe. To some, they’re too far gone. For others, it’s an aesthetic choice. One might assume Nike doesn’t care how you wear your sneakers, but a forthcoming release implies otherwise.
The Nike Air Force 1 ’07 Fresh drops July 15th at 10 AM EST.
Nike
