Awake NY is the latest collaborator to put its spin on the Nike Air Ship.
The collaboration was first spotted hanging from the ceiling of Awake NY's new flagship store in New York City's Lower East Side, which opened to the public today.
The mismatched pair features a white leather upper, silver Swooshes, a sail midsole for a vintage feel fresh out of the box, and a classic gum outsole. The right foot features a red trim around the Swoosh and red snakeskin around the collar, while the left opts for royal blue. Awake NY's signature "A" logo, sitched into the lateral toe area, acts as a finishing touch.
One of the pair's most notable features is the inclusion of the Air Jordan Wings logo on the lateral ankle collar, which is traditionally featured on the Air Jordan 1 and not the Air Ship. As the story goes, the Air Ship is actually the first sneaker that Michael Jordan wore in the NBA, not the Air Jordan 1. Adding the Wings logo here is an interesting way to nod to that history.
When speaking with Complex Style about his new store, Awake NY founder Angelo Baque stressed the importance of building a community with the space.
“It’s about accessibility,” said Baque. “Of course I’d like a line outside of my store when certain things drop, but that’s not the main purpose.”
Baque also confirmed to Complex that his longstanding partnership with Asics has ended. The partnership kicked off in 2019 with the release of two colorways of the Gel-Kayano 5 360. The final release came earlier this year with the debut of the Gel-NYC, a hybrid model that combined elements of the Gel-Nimbus 3, Gel-MC Plus V, and Gel-Cumulus 16.
Awake NY's other footwear partners have included Vans, Reebok, Timberland, and Crocs.
It is unclear at this time if the Awake NY x Nike Air Ship will be receiving a retail release or if this was simply a one-of-one pair to mark the brand's latest milestone. Stay tuned to Complex Sneaker for more details.
UPDATE (03/06): Awake NY has confirmed that its Jordan Brand collection, including its Jordan Air Ship collab, will be released on Saturday, March 9. The label will open its raffle for the collection at Awakenyclothing.com at 2 p.m. ET. Select Jordan Brand stockists are also releasing the sneaker on March 13 for $150.
