A Closer Look at the OFF-White x Nike Air Terra Forma

Continuing the late Virgil Abloh’s unrivalled legacy, OFF-White and Nike continue to collaborate and release new products under the watchful eye of OW’s new creative director: Ib Kamara. 

Following the release of the highly coveted Louis Vuitton Air Force 1 earlier in the year, OFF-White and the Swoosh return to close 2022 with the Nike Air Terra Forma. 

Over time, the creativity and explorative feeling surrounding the design process at OFF-White has developed further, taking away from the original silhouette. At its inception, the collaboration between the duo saw the release of a deconstructed variant of ten of Nike’s most popular models including the Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90 and Air Presto. However, as time has developed, so too have the extremities of the designs. 

Similar to the recent Air Force 1 Mid project released in June earlier in the year, OFF-White has provided another eclectic design. While the Nike Air Terra name has been attributed to several silhouettes including the Air Terra Humara '18 as well as the more recent Hot Step Air Terra - the upcoming OW Air Terra Forma is a brand new silhouette supposedly created by Virgil Abloh. 

Seemingly reminiscent of the 2018 Louis Vuitton Archlight Trainers, the latest offering from OFF-White see’s an augmented midsole which in turn creates an exaggerated foot arch sitting below an upper which appears to blend a myriad of inspirations of details from previous sneakers including the Air Jordan 5 and Nike Manoa. 

The entire sneaker is host to a wide variety of detailing, from the elongated tongue that reads “OFF” sitting below is a zipped shroud on the upper laces, multilayered medial and lateral sides that feature OFF-White branding as well as ‘Terra Forma’ stamped within it. Further details on the upper include the usual orange tab we’ve come to expect from OFF-White collaborations in addition to the infamous hangtag connected to the thick laces. 

While the upper features a whole host of details, it’s the midsole and outsole that are most eye-catching. A thick spiked rubber midsole which includes a rubble-esc finish transitioning into a multicoloured, multilayered, heel section with an Air Max 90 Air Unit embedded within it. 

Finally, on the rubber outsole of the sneaker, the words “TREAD LIGHTLY” are emblazoned amongst the spikes which were first seen on the aforementioned Air Force 1 Mid. 

The upcoming Air Terra Forma is set to mark the next stage in the OFF-White x Nike story, being released during the Miami Art Week where OFF-White will be showcasing their ‘Codes’ exhibition which will act as a four-day experience celebrating the legacy of Virgil Abloh. 

In a short statement to Sneaker News, Shannon Abloh, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Virgil Abloh Securities spoke about the upcoming exhibition saying:

“Virgil and Nike thrived together because he understood the brand’s role as a cornerstone of culture while Nike understood the importance of truly supporting creatives and their visions…This beautiful four-day experience at Miami Art Week will honour their legacy together and champion both Virgil’s open-source methods and his genuine commitment to collaborating with and inspiring others.”

References to these methods, or codes which some have coined ‘Virgil’s Codes’, are also seen in the sneaker with ‘000’ printed on the front end of the insole marking the beginning of a new journey between the two collaborators. 

The upcoming OFF-White x Nike Air Terra Forma is without a doubt a controversial sneaker that will split decisions; however, the weight of meaning behind the silhouette with it being the first Abloh designed from scratch in addition to celebrating the legacy of who is widely regarded as one of the greatest designers of a generation certainly outweighs any doubts surrounding the physical appearance. 

For the latest on OFF-White and Nike, keep it Kick Game.