.png&w=3840&q=100)
Since 1982, the Air Force 1 has had a round toe. Nike decided it was time for a change.
On the Nike Air Force 1 Square Toe, that familiar curve is gone. Where the toe always rounded off neatly, the Nike Air Force 1 Square Toe now ends in a flat front with two sharp corners.
It sounds like a small tweak. But few sneakers are as recognisable as this one.
The chunky cupsole, the perforations on the toe, the ankle strap with the AF1 tag: you spot the shoe on the street without really looking. Change that silhouette and people notice straight away.
Part of that familiarity comes from how rarely Nike touches it. Bruce Kilgore designed the Air Force 1 in 1982 as the first basketball shoe with Nike Air in the sole.
Countless colorways have followed since, but the shape has stayed largely the same. Until now.
Nike took it one step at a time. The square version first walked the runway at men's Paris Fashion Week. In early October, a preview followed in the SNKRS app, with the dry slogan "AF1 Gets Square".
Only the forefoot has changed
From the side and from behind, you mostly see the AF1 you know. Only at the toe does the difference show.
Nike lengthened the toe box slightly and pushed it forward. The round curve has made way for a flat front with sharp corners on either side. Even the outsole follows the new, angular line. The panels, proportions and side Swoosh follow the AF1 Low blueprint.
Triple Black
The black pair is black from top to bottom.
The upper is black leather, paired with flat black laces, a black midsole with debossed AIR lettering and a black outsole. In all black, the corners of the toe look especially sharp.
Triple White
The white version is the more classic of the two. It has smooth white leather, several rows of perforations on the toe, flat white laces and a white sole.
Only the black Nike logo on the insole adds a touch of contrast. From behind, the pair is hard to tell apart from a regular white AF1 Low. The difference sits entirely up front.
Why these two colorways? Because there is nothing else to look at. No colour accents, no standout materials.
With the Nike Air Force 1 Square Toe, everything revolves around that squared-off toe. It gives the familiar shape a sharper look, with a hint of dress shoe or even cowboy boot.
The idea did not come out of nowhere. Square toes have been in demand in fashion for a while, from loafers to boots. Nike is now bringing that trend to a sneaker almost everyone knows.
More versions are likely on the way. Nike has also shown pairs in suede with western-inspired details and metal hardware, plus textile versions with a multicoloured plaid print. Whether and when those reach Europe is not yet confirmed.
Mind your size. Some European stores list both pairs as women's models (WMNS), while elsewhere they are announced as unisex. Check which size chart the store uses.
The Nike Air Force 1 Square Toe releases on Friday 6 November in Triple Black and Triple White, priced at €129.99 a pair. You'll find it at Nike and selected retailers. Check our release calendar to see where to buy them.
