Nike Air Force 1 x Air Jordan V
This pair belongs because it brings up the question: Do sneaker companies pay attention to the work of sneaker customizers? At this point the obvious answer is yes, as work just gets way too much attention for brands to ignore them. There have been some close calls over the years of Nike releases after a customizer’s idea that made you question if it was more than coincidence. Honestly there hast not been a blatant copy. Yet you can’t argue that the general release shoes on store shelves by all brands, the aesthetics, basic colors has changed to all types of graphics and materials that look like something you’d only find from a customizer until the last year or two.
On these Mache swapped the tongue of his favorite Jordan, the V (he even has the V tattooed on his arm in an MC Escher-esq style), to the AF1 low. As this was before anyone really was showcasing the reconstruction skills some are putting forth today, Mache painted the upper look of the V’s panels and netting. But the idea of fusing together the elements of signature Jordans to the Nike Air Force 1 became a real Nike thing known as the Jordan Fusions (a true dark time in Jordan Brand’s history most would agree).
Though these weren’t even the first custom to swap in a Jordan tongue to a Nike sneaker as Ghettrocentricity is the first known attempt forging the AJ IV upon the Dunk hi. They do make you wonder if Nike/JB was influenced by these customs? We’ll probably never know.
