Chitose Abe recently made sneaker headlines with the announcement of yet another sacai collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier. And while eye-catching in its own right, the high-fashion linkup only got fans of the Japanese designer’s work for Nike more excited for the sacai Magmascape, a project first teased during Paris Fashion Week.
As 2023 winds down, final collections are heading to retailers, and Abe’s outdoorsy collaboration is no different. The hybrid design – part Air Footscape, part Air Magma – has been reimagined in three different color schemes: “Black,” “Light British Tan,” and “Varsity Royal.” Of the three, the most latter pair draws the most obvious connection to sacai’s muse as the Nike Air Footscape debuted in a mix of blue, grey, black, and white in the mid-1990s. The joint-effort preserves the ergonomic running sneaker’s DNA, but reworks its sole unit to fall in line with some of the Swoosh’s hiking silhouettes of yesteryear. Nike’s Air Magma boot lends its collar to sacai’s project, injecting a more rugged aesthetic while turning the low-profile base into a high-top design.
Enjoy official photos of the three Nike Magmascapes by sacai ahead (via X user @brandon1an). The trio of styles hits Nike SNKRS on December 7th for $200 USD each.
For more sneaker news, check out the Air Jordan 9 “Powder Blue” set to return in early 2024.