COMME des GARCONS’ long-promised collaboration with Nike has finally made its official arrival. The first look of the collab’s Air Max Sunder SP surfaced recently and became an overnight sensation.
For the latest take, CDGH’s founder and designer, Rei Kawakubo, decorated the classic 1998 Nike silhouettes with elements of contemporary and futuristic fashion. The highly-anticipated shoes will be available for purchase April 22, 2022 onwards on the e-commerce website of CDGH. You can also buy it from select retailers.
We first caught a glimpse of the upcoming collaboration during the COMME des GARCONS HOMME Plus Spring/Summer 2022 runway show. CDGH’s SS22 show was dubbed as "The Existence of Flowers."
COMME des GARCONS HOMME x Nike’s Air Max is a laceless bootie
The freshly crafted fashion-forward pairs will be released in three distinct colorways: “White/Black,” “Triple White,” and “Triple Black”.
Rei took a minimalistic approach in redesigning the shoes by removing the intricacies and opting for a chic elegance. The body of the shoes is enclosed in a nylon shell that is placed on the top of a leather base. The laceless uppers of the pairs are made using superior-quality neoprene as well as nubuck leather, while the staple “HOMME PLUS” branding is featured on the tongue tags.
Adjacent to zippers, one can spot the discernible swoosh branding. All the details are well thought-out and serve a purpose. The zipper closures placed on the tongues complement the ring-like pull taps. Last but not least, Nike's state-of-the-art Air units spruce up the hefty midsoles, ensuring that the wearer's comfort and support are never compromised.
To summarize, the silhouettes are perfect for the minimalist hunters who plump for a classic look. The laceless design also sits nicely on the foot.
More recent COMME des GARCONS collaborations
CDGH recently came together with New Balance to remodel the latter’s fan-favorite CT300 shoes. The collab’s latest edition was made with black split leathers and topped with white detailing. Priced at $370 USD, the pairs are easily accessible via the Dover Street Market.
Earlier this year, CDGH also partnered with Converse for a fresh take on the iconic Chuck 70 design. The black and white pairs were embellished with the iconic heart logos that were originally created by the Polish artist, Filip Pagaowski. Made in high-top and low-top patterns, the pairs were marked at $162 USD and $156 USD, respectively.