We’ve seen some massive hits and various flops that never should have seen daylight but some concepts really do fall into a grey area and are usually quite polarizing. Recent examples include the Air Max 90 Grey Volt that donned light grey and bright Volt hues or even the Air Max 90 Pink Panda that featured very similar hues and is kind of in the same boat as this new concept. Presenting, the Air Max 90 Arctic Orca. Whether it’s a masterpiece or another forgettable addition, we’ll let you decide.
One of the reasons for the Air Max 90’s success isn’t just that it is a versatile design that’s is considered a fashion staple, it’s also because this silhouette was designed by a renowned architect with help from various other professionals. Tinker Hatfield designed this to be an improvement upon the Air Max 1 performance-wise and aesthetically as well. Apart from being cultural icons, these were serious performance shoes and were rumored to be worn by Steve Monoghetti when he broke the record for the annual Sydney fun run City2Surf in 1991. Apart from this, these kicks are still used for running and fashion alike, keeping the popularity alive and inspiring concepts such as this Air Max 90 Arctic Orca.
The sobriquet refers to the hues on the famous killer whale which is might be what the upper is inspired by. Arctic hues may also hint towards the animal as they’re frequently found in the Canadian Arctic. Black leather predominantly covers the uppers, including the toes while clean white mudguards extend all the way to the heels, contrasted only by what appears to be a jet black “Air Max” badge but lacks visibility and contrast. Mesh toe boxes only differentiate themselves from the rest of the top half in texture while matching the collars. This leads up to black leather lower eye stays and plastic eye stay panels.
Jet black laces blend right in while black tongues are contrasted by vibrant teal tags with black “Nike Air” branding. Interiors and sock liners are also shrouded in a jet-black shade and although we don’t have an angle on the heel tabs, they also likely feature a matching black shade. Cropped teal Swooshes on the sides, clean white midsoles with teal hits around the Air Unit, and white/teal outsoles finish off the design. For more concepts such as this, stick around!
