Custom Air Force 1 Sneakers

Custom Air Force 1 are sneakers that have been hand crafted from genuine trainers to become an individual work of wearable art. Each pair is unique and sourced specifically for the client.

The AF-1’s rise to prominence was helped by Hip-Hop culture’s embrace of the silhouette in the early 2000s. Having been worn by artists like EZ Rock in their music videos, and sported regularly by Roc-A-Fella front men and crew members (as well as subsequently being imitated by Nigo’s bapesta and Reebok’s I3 Pressure shoe), the white-on-white low model became a sneaker staple, especially among the city’s inner-city youth.

A group of Baltimore-based retailers including Downtown Locker Room, Cinderella shoes and Charley Rudo Sports successfully petitioned Nike to resurrect the shoe in 2009, with a number of different design options available. This was a major step to keep the shoe alive and ensure its longevity, as there were fears that the sneaker had lost its relevance in streetwear.

In recent years, designers such as Samuel Ross’ A-COLD-WALL* have continued to push the AF-1 into new territory, offering techno-dystopian takes on the silhouette that still maintain its core identity through details like lace jewels and monochromatic colorways. The resulting footwear has been met with critical and commercial success, helping to keep the Air Force 1 in the spotlight.

Originally designed for basketball, the high top AF-1 was endorsed by NBA players for its durability. In 1983, six NBA stars—Michael Cooper, Moses Malone, Calvin Natt, Jammal Wikes, Bobby Jones and Mychal Thompson—participated in an iconic photo shoot wearing their customised white Nike AF-1s. This was a significant factor in the silhouette’s rise to popularity, and would ultimately influence Tinker Hatfield’s carbon fibre plate concept for the Jordan XI.