SKEPTA AIR MAX 97/BW SK
by Adriano Batista

Last summer, Skepta released his first collaborative sneaker with Nike, the Air Max 97 SK. Its design combined insight from the grime star’s local London scene with inspiration drawn from trips to Essaouira, Morocco. The London-born artist’s second Nike silhouette follows the theme of connected culture, this time drawing on his relationship to Paris (which was one of the first places he broke outside the UK) by bridging a gap between Paris and London.
Linked by train, the two cities stand among Europe’s style capitals (not to mention being actual capitals) and the Nike Air Max 97/BW SK ties them together through the tricolore reference but more discretely honors the Nike Air Max BW’s cultural cache in both places.

Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the Nike Air Max BW originally released in 1991. At the time, the shoe featured the largest visible Air bag, but because it was sandwiched between the release of the Air Max 90 and the Air Max 180, it has had a rather surreptitious rise to cult status. Though release was ultimately limited in the United States, the shoe profited from more liberal distribution in Western Europe.
There the Air Max BW found favor among a variety of subcultures. In France, particularly Paris, it was adopted by both the hip-hop community and among football supporters.
These various influences all play out in the Air Max 97/BW SK. Skepta describes the white base as “something fresh,” a simple explanation but also apt when talking about why the Big Window resonated in the first place. Add to that sharp, multi-layered references relating to love, music and romance, and the shoe becomes a symbol of the fusion of Parisian and Londoner culture.
An initial launch of the Air Max 97/BW SK will take place via SNEAKRS STASH in Paris on May 14. At that time, app users who find hidden locks (replicating those used in the design) around the city will open access to purchase. The full release of the shoe on May 19 will come through the following locations in Paris: Pigalle, The Broken Arm, Starcow, Shinzo, Acte 2, SNS and Footpatrol. Additionally, the Air Max 97/BW SK will be available digitally from SNEAKRS in Europe and SNKRS in Japan. Select retailers (including Patta, Très Bien, Concepts and more) will carry it globally.
Fumito Ganryu is the Designer Project at Pitti Uomo 94
Judit García-Talavera & Krizia Robustella
Berlin’s KitKat Club became the perfect runway for #DAMUR’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Get Wet.”
COLRS unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection “JUMPING FENCES” during Berlin Fashion Week, bottling the reckless energy of a Brazilian summer.
On July 1st at Berlin’s old Tempelhof Airport, BALLETSHOFER staged a runway show that challenged how we dress for travel.
At Berlin Fashion Week, Andrej Gronau presented its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Alpine Fiction.
At Berlin Fashion Week, Orange Culture unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “In the Shadows.”
Berlin Fashion Week served as the stage for SF1OG’s SS26 collection, a deeply personal examination of love’s darker edges, obsession, fragility, and emotional unraveling.
Lenny aka Futura 2000, took the time to speak with us ahead of the exclusive launch.
This summer, Ludovic de Saint Sernin revisits Fire Island to relaunch its swim line with a campaign steeped in erotic freedom and community reverence.
Chitose Abe remains one of the most avant-garde voices of her generation, capable of injecting freshness, desire, and direction into a fashion that needs it more than ever.
K-Way’s new men’s summer collection focuses on keeping things cool, comfortable, and practical.
PUMA and JJJJound have done it again. Their latest collaboration takes the spiked silhouette of the 1999 PUMA Mostro and strips it down to its essentials.
This Pride month, The Barcelona EDITION isn’t just waving a flag—it’s becoming one. From graphic art explosions to drag royalty brunches, the hotel pulses with a raw, vivid celebration of queer creativity, inclusion, and unfiltered joy.
At Galerie Sultana, Gardouch presented its second collection, Playing Pretend, not as mere clothing but as objects that hold fragments of memory.
Zico steps into the brand’s world as part of its ongoing mission to connect with cultural leaders across fashion, music, and art.
The “White” Pack reimagines Skepta’s signature Skope Forever sneaker in an arctic palette.
The question hangs heavy in the air: How do we keep making clothes when the world burns?
Haderlump’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection breathes new life into Ex Libris, translating these historical markers into wearable narratives.
Francesco Risso joined forces with artists Olaolu Slawn and Soldier Boyfriend for something raw, immediate, and deeply personal.
For Spring/Summer 2026, David Koma presented I LOVE DAVID at Berlin Fashion Week, a menswear collection that balances humor with depth.
SLⱯY, unveiled during Berlin Fashion Week, takes the ancient tale of Saint George and the Dragon and flips it into a meditation on modern battles.
Change isn’t always about moving forward, but sometimes, it’s about holding on. For their Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Milieuschutz, Richert Beil explores exactly that tension.
Inspired by the hidden love stories of novels like Maurice, Swimming in the Dark, and Young Mungo, the collection moves through three emotional stages of queer coming-of-age: concealment, self-acceptance, and the bittersweet weight of memory.
Through its new CGI campaign, “Beyond Real, Beyond Now,” and a community-driven approach, REVERSIBLE is bridging the gap between inspiration and accessibility.
Eugenio Elverdin photographed by Lucas Ricci and styled by Gaston Olmos, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes with movement, and AMBUSH’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Tribe on the Move,” captures that feeling.
Louis Vuitton’s latest travel campaign takes viewers on a visual journey through China, reimagining travel as an experience rather than just a destination.
Paris Fashion Week witnessed Steven Passaro’s Moonlit Lover Spring/Summer 2026 collection, an exemplar of the aftermath of love encountered after midnight and gone before sunrise.
Because home should never be denied to anyone. In a world where home shouldn’t be a privilege but a right, artist and activist Charlie Smits is stepping up. Smits has teamed up with Fundación… »
Simon Porte Jacquemus has fulfilled his dream, and in the process, he continues to invite us to dream with him.
We checked in with Takuya Morikawa to talk process, evolution, and the foundation in the essence of creation.