The Inspiration Behind Skepta's Air Max 97

British grime artist Skepta has joined forces with Nike to create his rendition of the beloved Air Max 97. Coming from a place like London, where the Air Max is adored, there is no surprise that the silhouette that Skepta gets to put his twist on is an Air Max. When asked about his inspiration behind the shoe and its designs, there were three key things that were mentioned: his childhood, his travels to Morocco, and the Nike Air Tuned Max. He vividly remembers seeing Air Maxes everywhere as a child. People wore them to play, run the streets, and most importantly make a fashion statement. He recalls saving up his money to buy his first Air Max in 1999, the Nike Air Tuned Max, which inspired the colorway of his Air Max 97. 

Nike Air Tuned Max (1999)

After coming off tour recently, Skepta wanted to find a place of relaxation and his search took him to Morocco. He fell in love with the architecture, the style, pastel colors, the people, and everything about Morocco. Everything there was royal. The print on the insole is inspired by Moroccan patterns and incorporates the Swoosh logo. The braided embroidery along the tongue and heel references the embellished sportswear Skepta saw locals wearing during trips to Morocco. All in all, the Air Max 97 that Skepta created is everything he imagined and envisioned. Expect these 97's to hit our shelves September 2nd.