Although 2020 has been fast from normal, the start of the new decade has seen NIKE, Inc. host some of its highest-profile collaborations ever, in particular Dior. Soon joining the coveted ranks of the Swoosh’s co-conspirator list is Ruohan Wang, a visual artist based in Berlin, Germany. Her canvases?: The Nike Air Force 1, Air Max 90, and Blazer Mid 77, pictured here.
Since graduating from the Berlin University of Art in 2017, the China-born illustrator and painter has explored her multi-cultural background across public art installations, fashion, and product. As with previous work, her upcoming joint-effort with Nike is laden with neon color, which adds a bold aesthetic to the charming illustrations of Earth, people, legged-flora and swoosh logos found throughout the mid-top Blazer. Profile swooshes, toe boxes, and most of the tongue is left white, accentuating Wang’s graphics that much more. Tongue labels, just as heel panels, alternate between two hand-drawn images and/or text. All these images are printed onto Flyleather, a material made of at least 50% recycled natural leather fiber; fellow artist Steven Harrington worked on the same material for his “Earth Day” capsule in 2019. Underfoot, sole units are animated not only by the surreal-like flower on the lateral side, but also the all-purple outsole.
Enjoy official images of the collaborative Blazer Mid ’77 here below, as you await for pairs to arrive to Nike SNKRS on September 24th.
UPDATE (09/11/2020):
Nike SNKRS has confirmed that the Ruohan Wang x Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Flyleather will launch on September 24th.
