Nike's 'Wabi-Sabi' Air Max 1 shoe looks unfinished — and that's a good thing

Nike is gearing up for its annual Air Max Day celebrations with a slew of collaborations and limited-edition sneakers. Ahead of the March 26 holiday, the brand has teased an Air Max NFT designed by none other than Tinker Hatfield, as well as a trio of patchwork Air Max 1 shoes made in partnership with Concepts. Up next, Nike has unveiled a “Wabi-Sabi” Air Max 1 sneaker featuring distressed details and contrast stitching.

While Air Max Day celebrates the entire Air Max line, this year’s celebrations coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Air Max 1, meaning the model will have more of a spotlight than usual. Nike has created three versions of the sneaker — one exclusive to North America, one exclusive to Europe, and one exclusive to Latin America and Asia-Pacific — with each taking on a theme central to its release region. “Wabi-Sabi” is the latter of the three offerings, referencing the Japanese concept of appreciating imperfections.