Air Max 98
On-Air: NYC
Air Max 98 by Gabrielle Serrano
On-Air: NYC
Last year, Nike invited locals in New York City, London, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo to design their own Nike Air Max inspired by the uniqueness of their communities. From these 'On Air' workshops, 18 finalists were chosen based on the creative executions of their designs. The public then voted on six winners—one per city—which included Gabrielle "Gaby" Serrano from NYC.
Serrano chose an Air Max 98 and called it "La Mezcla", which is Spanish for "mixture". "I knew I wanted the shoe to highlight the diversity of my community", she says of the concept. "My design is about the people who make NYC what it is, through colours and materials that represent different skin complexions, the Statue of Liberty, the concrete jungle and the water surrounding NYC".
Serrano, along with the five other winners, came to Nike WHQ to refine her prototype and learn from Nike designers. She was surprised to see an early sample upon her arrival. "When I saw the sample, I couldn't believe it", she says. "It came out exactly how I imagined it to look".
Not only is Gaby a proud, first-generation Latina-American, she wants her success to open doors for others. "My community taught me to love and accept everyone for who they are, no matter what they look like or where they come from", she says. "I wanted to make an 'NYC' sneaker that anyone from any part of the world could relate to and enjoy wearing. I am eager to inspire the next generation".