Skepta Gets Creative for the Nike Air Max 97 Sk
Rapper Skepta took his world travels and transformed them into a shoe. The upcoming Air Max 97 Sk was inspired by Skepta’s time Morocco and his hometown of London, UK. Since the 1987 birth year of the Air Max, we have seen an evolution of styles and concepts that have kept this shoe at the forefront of the shoe market. The fact that this new iteration of the Air Max 97 brings together different cultures and Skepta helped the design makes it one for the books.
After Skepta spent so much of his time touring, he decided to visit Morocco for some peace and relaxation. Aside from a great vacation, he was also able to get a whirlwind of inspiration. The coast of Essaouira, Morocco and all of it’s incredible sounds and sights inspired the color palette of this 97. Additionally the 1999 Air Tuned Max Skepta had as a child also played a major role in this new shoe. Skepta recalls, “I remember going to sleep at night, and putting them in a position in my room where, when I was lying in my bed, I could still see them in clear vision. It was the color; it looked like some kind of oil, the change from alien green to dark burgundy and then to light.”
The Nigerian-British Rapper said the style of practical clothing he saw in Morocco reminded him of Nigeria. He wanted to use the simplistic yet regal embroidery he saw on the streets on the shoes. The tongue and the heel of the Air Max 97 Sk include said embroidery while the insole has a design inspired by the sights of Morocco. Every aspect of this shoe was well thought out, down to the Sk logo. Oddly enough the logo is the shape of the traditional British plug. Make that out as you may but I would like to think that the plug represents the energy you get from wearing Air Max 97s.
