Each year, Nike teams up with the storied blanket makers at Pendleton on a number of cosy-looking wool-covered kicks. Come fall, the partnership is the seasonal hallmark of the Swoosh’s “By You” custom sneaker program. In previous years, sneakerheads have been able to customise several classic Nike silhouettes, like the Air Force 1 or the Air Max 90, by dressing them up in toasty fabrics from Pendleton’s historic woolen mills. However, this year, one of Nike’s newest and hottest sneakers has been added to the program: the extremely covetable React Element.
The futuristic-looking shoe made its debut on the runway as part of Jun Takahashi’s Undercover show in Paris last year. Since then, it has skyrocketed to become one of the most desired new Nike kicks in recent memory. (At least, of those not adorned with Virgil Abloh’s signature motifs.) The React Element 87 may skew future-forward, but it carries some design cues from the Nike Internationalist, a vintage running shoe that debuted back in the 1980s. It’s that blend of old and new that makes it such an exciting sneaker—and also makes it an unexpected canvas for timeless Pendleton patterns. Through Nike By You, sneaker fans can play designer with a variety of designs (herringbone, plaid) and materials (leather, wool, ripstop nylon) to create one-of-a-kind footwear. The possibilities seem endless, and the result is pretty much guaranteed to be a toasty autumn-friendly sneaker that looks as stylish as it does cosy.
If the React Element isn’t your thing, you can also customise the Air Force 1, Air Max 90, and Air Max 270 styles. Whichever sneaker you pick, you’re taking pairing an instantly iconic Nike silhouette with equally loved Pendleton fabrics, which is a recipe for an extremely wearable fall sneaker. It’s basically a blanket for your feet, and who wouldn’t want that?
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