There are few sneakers that I'm dying to see retroed. I'd rather see, more often than not, a new sneaker that challenges my current view on footwear than just a re-hash of something old. If the Nike Air Kukini came back, though, I'd run out to the store and dole over a portion of my paycheck with the quickness.
Before you tell me, "These sneakers re-released in 2011." I'd like to interject: I'm referring to the OG, blue and white joints that look like the wavy background on a Windows screensaver.
First and foremost, I'd love to see these sneakers come back because I'm a self-admitted fan of running sneakers, but that's only part of reason on why I'd like a brand new pair.
In 2000, I was in 8th grade, and my mom took me to the local MVP Sports in Newington, N.H. to buy a new pair of sneakers. At this time, it felt like sporting goods stores actually had cool shoes. My eyes instantly gravitated towards the Kukini. It was funky, but in the right kind of way - much like a Flyknit is today, but in the crazy way that sneakers looked around the turn of the millennium.
I didn't care if the Kukini was structured to get wet and dry quickly - it didn't have laces, looked like water, and a had puffy Air unit. My mom, however, had other plans. "Matt, these are nice sneakers, but would you be able to wear them everyday?" she asked me. The honest reply was, "No."
Long story short, I ended up with a pair of nondescript Nike low-cut crosstrainers. But my itch to get a pair of Kukinis is still going strong 14 years later. Nike has released a Kukini witha Free sole, but it's not just the same.
It was funky, but in the right kind of way - much like a Flyknit is today, but in the crazy way that sneakers looked around the turn of the millennium.
Even if I were to hunt down a deadstock pair from 2000, I would be purchasing a sneaker with an Air cushion on the verge of exploding on the first wear. The Kukini, too, wasn't a sneaker that people held onto to re-sell to sappy sneakerheads that reminisce on their middle school years. My only hope is that Nike decides to bring back these beauts, and I would wear them all summer.
Lightweight running is the wave right now, and the Kukini would fit in perfectly. In a market that favors Lunar soles, Air Max have lost some of their luster to spongy-soled runners. Still, every sneakerhead needs diversity in their closet, and if the Kukini is the perfect silhouette to bridge the gap.
Plus, who doesn't want a pair of sneakers that fits like their favorite underwear?
