Nostalgia is a beautiful thing, especially when it comes to our favorite sneakers. We love nothing more than seeing a silhouette return from the depths of obscurity, and few are as exciting as Nike’s revival of the cult classic Air Rift.
A lot of the sneakers on the market are marmite (meaning you love them or hate them, for those unfamiliar with the spread) with no distinct middle ground. Right away there are a handful of styles that come to mind – sacai’s Nike Vaporwaffles, YEEZY Foam Runners, Crocs, and the list goes on. Such a list would be incomplete without mentioning the Air Rift.
If you’ve managed to navigate life without familiarizing yourself with the Air Rift, the late ’90s sneaker is arguably one of Nike’s greatest summer silhouettes of all time. Thanks in large part to its open-toe design, open toe and strap closure, the sneaker has become a staple of British summers among sneakerheads.
My family was crazy about Rifts, with my brothers and I all sharing a rotation of multiple colorways, my favorite being a black perforated leather pair with a teal Swoosh. Of course, there were plenty of people who thought the split toe was painful to watch and really took offense to the Rift, finding the non-split iterations much more pleasing to the eye.
As we went through the 2010s, Rifts slowly faded into obscurity, with a few releases here and there, but just like when they first came out in 1996, a lack of marketing meant few people cared. really from them.
Fast forward to 2022, and finally, our prayers have been answered – the Air Rift is coming back to market.
Our first official look at the returning cult classic features a contrasting white upper with hits of light and dark neon green atop a black outsole, showcasing a perfectly executed seasonal palette that’s a flawless representation of what initially brought us down. silhouette lover.
For now, release details remain a mystery, but we’ll be sure to update you as more information comes to light.
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