It seems that the Air Max Day of this year is quieter comparing to previous two years. But according to NIKE’s tradition, NIKE officially releases the six pairs of shoes which won on last year “ON AIR” global design competition on Air Max Day.
These 6 pairs of shoes represent 6 cities, Shanghai, New York, Paris, London, Tokyo and Seoul. The winner of each city can go to NIKE’s headquarters to participate in mass production of shoes and make their dreams come true. Standing out from thousands of works and participating in the production of the shoes, it’s a dream come true.
The winner of Shanghai competition area Ru QiuShi designs Air Max 97 SH Kaleidoscope, which can be said the most attracting shoes from the 6 pairs of shoes on both of the idea and appearance. A lot of shoe fans are waiting for it.
Why is it so charming?
One year ago, the topic of ON AIR Shanghai competition area is with the inspiration of Air and Speed to explore your fantasies about Shanghai. Ru QiuShi took this pair of shoes as the answer.
The concept of Kaleidoscope comes from Ru QiuShi’s deep impression of Shanghai—the water mist surrounding the high-rise buildings of Lujiazui, water condenses into clouds, clouds into rain, flows into sublimation and moving in circles.
Kaleidoscope is not only the best interpretation of “AIR” and “Speed” in Shanghai, but also the clever setting of integrating the ever-changing concept of Cloud into the shoes. Whereupon the shoes are made by lake blue which represents the blue sky and water mist, sometimes it’s clear and tranquil, sometimes ever-changing. On the side of shoes, Ru Qiushi uses his favorite red to refracts the Kaleidoscope with a more dazzling rays of light.
If the concept of cloud gives the shoes soul, then the design of the clipping vamp is the finishing touch that makes the shoes have a gorgeous body.
▲Ru Qiushi’s manuscripts of Air Max 97 SH Kaleidoscope
Cloud don’t have fixed shape. Ru Qiushi’s presenting method to cloud is stacking the vamp texture and reserving the excess length. So people can clip the vamp according to their ideas and create his own “cloud”.
Ru Qiushi has made a lot of effort to finish this design. As the material is special, he’s worried that Nike can’t make it exactly by his ideas.
Air Max 97 SH Kaleidoscope Sample. The left one is exaggerated.
Although we don’t know if the finishing of this shoes reaches the designer’s psychological expectation, but in our opinion, it’s already excellent.
Because of this global soliciting model, it can let the ordinary designers like Ru Qiushi who have infinite originality can have the chance to cut a figure.
Although Ru Qiushi is not professional shoes designer. His major is industry design. He has made products’ design and jewelry design before. The reason why he can create such excellent shoes, in addition to the excellent design skills, the love and insistence to the shoes is also an important source of inspiration.
Both in terms of material and technology, this pair of Air Max 97 SH Kaleidoscope is the difficult one comparing with other 5 pairs of shoes. So Ru Qiushi is worried that this shoes can’t be made exactly according to his ideas, especially the design of clipping.
Ru Qiushi took one year to show the complete shoes to the shoe fans. This is not only the best gift for Air Max Day and shoe fans, but also the best reward for his dedication and love to the sneakers and design over the year.
Every persistence and love for the shoes deserves to be respected. Design or wear it, to remember and enjoy the story and touch that brought to you, which is the biggest meaning of the shoes.
To mention the design of sneaker with Chinese element, a lot of people will think about the traditional cultural unconsciously, a lot of brands are making the products with traditional pattern and Chinese characters etc., but there are only a few outstanding ones.
The Chinese cultural is not only the traditional part, it’s possible that what’s around you is the best source of inspiration, maybe it’s the cloud above Lujiazui and the water of Huangpu River.
The design of Chinese elements should not be limited to traditional culture. This is the most amazing thing that this sneaker brings to me.
