Air Max 97
On-Air: Seoul
Air Max 97 by Gwang Shin
On-Air: Seoul
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 Gwang Shin from Seoul.
Shin chose an Air Max 97 with on oversized Swoosh, and based his design on Seoul’s big, neon signs, the contrasting colors of the South Korean flag, and the flag’s central Taegeuk symbol, which represents universal balance. “There are neon signs lit up 24/7 in Seoul,” he says. “The upper is mostly black, like nighttime in the city, when the neon shines the brightest.”
Shin was ecstatic to learn that he was one of the six “On Air” winners. “I hit my desk and jumped,” he says. “I ran out of my house screaming with excitement,” he adds. He was just as happy to see the first sample of his design when he came to Nike WHQ for design sessions. “The colors on the sample came out so well from the original design,” remembers Shin.
Though Shin was inspired by the architecture and colors of his home city, he acknowledges the role of its equally vibrant residents. “The neon lights in Seoul are visible until the sun rises,” he says. “These lights and colors really represent the undying passion of people in my city.”