Nike Yassified the Air Force 1 Just in Time for Valentine’s Day

Collage: Gabe Conte

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and when it comes to finding the perfect gift for the special sneakerhead in your life, there’s only one sensible option: more shoes. But if a regular pair of sneakers doesn’t seem quite festive enough for the occasion, Nike has you covered with a more romantic offering: the new Air Force 1 Low “Valentine’s Day,” which drops later this month on Nike’s webstore and is pretty much a slam dunk for amorous gift-giving.

Valentine-themed Air Forces have become a long-running tradition over the years, with Nike dropping a variation on the classic model targeted to stylish romantics more or less annually. You’ll see a lot of red and pink, as you might expect given the holiday, or else some kind of festive decoration, like a love-embossed Nike swoosh, embroidered cherries, or little colorful hearts. (That last one, from 2004, is one of our all-time favorites in the tradition.) There’s even been a version with a fur-lined uppers, if you’re into that sort of thing—if it’s playful and holiday-adjacent, it’ll turn up in the design.

The latest Valentine’s Day AF1 is one of the more over-the-top. The basic look and silhouette of the iconic Air Force has been retained on the whole, with sail-colored leather all around. But that’s where the ordinary shoe ends. The sole is cherry red and sparkly, there are red and pink charms attached to the laces, and to top it all off, the Nike swoosh is a transparent gel window filled with glitter. (It’s a bit like Disco Stu’s fish tank shoes for people who wear friendship bracelets to Taylor Swift concerts.) In short, they might just be the best possible gift for Valentine’s Day.

Air Force 1 Low '07 SE PRM

$127.00, StockX

Originally Appeared on GQ


More Great Style Stories From GQ