blu/wht/gry/tan
University 3
Leather, Synthetic Materials
These fugazi {fake} nike shoes follow in the same vein as the "Blood and Bone," but represent a different facet of the Sneaker industry. The "Air Raheems" take their name and inspiration from Spike Lee's 1989 film 'Do the Right Thing,' which features an incredible array of sneakers in its greater dialogue about racism in the United States.
This, and the discovery of Professor Aaron Dial's work Deadstock, A Philosophy of Sneakers and Materiality in the Afterlife of Black Bodies, greatly informed the design and thought process behind the "Air Raheems," and proved the necessity of the inclusion of the Nike swoosh sewn on the side. The ideas explored in the creation of the 'Air Raheems' also informed expanding thoughts about branding in later work.