Dominican sneaker heads will have much to celebrate next month, thanks to the upcoming release of Nike’s next Air Force 1 drop “De Lo Mio,” inspired by The Dominican Republic.
The shoe design goes far beyond slapping a flag on the heel and calling it a day. Nike tapped authentic talent for this Air Force 1, created by Dominican-American designer @Ceze.p of luxe streetwear brand Evident Future (also founded by another Dominicano, the late designer and stylist Leo Velasquez).
The design features a clean white upper with subtle red and blue accents (a shout out to the Dominican flag colors). A stunning red-and-blue ombre Nike swoosh logo runs along the side. Mismatched tongue tags feature the words “República” and “Dominicana” on the right and left shoe. The blue and red laces also offer a tongue-in-cheek addition with one-of-a-kind domino clips, which you can stack in rows — a nod to the Dominican community’s massive love of the game. The translucent rubber souls also include a red Nike swoosh and the “De Lo Mio” phrase, which carries emotional significance for the designer.
“De Lo Mio” technically means “close friend,” but it suggests much more. It also implies a call to community, a declaration that we’re in this together. The shoe’s spirit is all about “helping each other achieve dreams, no matter where you come from, no matter the color of your skin,” said designer @Ceze.P. “Our job as people is to uplift and inspire each other.”
This isn’t the first time Air Force 1 honored Caribbean roots. Several releases featured designs inspired by other islands, including the “West Indies” color way in red, green and gold. The company also featured several designs for Air Force 1 Puerto Rico. The newest release in 2013 feature elaborate graffiti and red baseball stitching. Earlier this year, Nike also released the golden “Caribana” design in honor of the popular Toronto carnival.
The “De Lo Mio” shoes are set to release in November through Nike SNKRS.
