Paying homage to Steve Prefontaine – cross-country running legend and early Nike ambassador – the Swoosh are preparing the release of the ‘Rebel Skulls’ pack of classic Air Max silhouettes. Each pair comes with moody, blacked out uppers in a mix of premium leather, suede and canvas, sat atop crisp white sole units for a super-clean finish. Perhaps the most striking feature of the pack is the namesake skull and crossbones motif embroidered to the tongue in silver thread, a nod to Prefontaine’s high-school running club emblem.

Air Max aficionados may remember a previous Prefontaine-inspired Skulls pack of Air Max 1s from 2007, which became instant classics in their own right, and while the skull motif on the new versions is a little different, it’s a great nod to the ten-year anniversary of a classic, as well as a Nike running legend. But why is Steve Prefontaine so revered by Nike? According to Nike co-founder and former CEO Phil Knight, “Pre’s spirit is the cornerstone of this company’s soul”, and it’s easy to see why: a prodigious athlete who was dedicated not only to his own training, but to the betterment of athletics as a whole, Prefontaine brought excitement and spectacle to the then-niche sport of running. Setting and breaking numerous records throughout his career, which was cut tragically short by a car accident in 1975, Prefontaine was something of a brand evangelist for the young Nike, preaching the benefits of their shoes to anyone who would listen, and backing up his claims with consistently stellar performance. For Nike, he provided a template for their future relationships with athletes of all disciplines, and embodied a rebel spirit that the company has upheld to this day.

The Nike Air Max ‘Rebel Skulls’ pack perfectly combines the iconic, iconoclastic Air Max designs of the 80s and 90s with the spirit of one of the true legends of athletics to create something we think is very special indeed. All three silhouettes will be available on the 4^th of September 2017 from Aphrodite Clothing

More Info:

Brand – Nike
Style:  Air Max ’90 Premium  700155-009 (Black)
Price: TBC
Available: 4th September 2017

Brand – Nike
Style:  Air Max 1 Premium  875844-001 (Black)
Price: TBC
Available: 4th September 2017

Brand – Nike
Style:  Max 95 Premium  538416-008 (Black)
Price: TBC
Available: 4th September 2017