It's Lit: Travis Scott x Nike Sneakers That Changed the Game Forever

The sneaker industry just wouldn't be what it is today without Travis Scott. To many, he's known more for his contributions to the game rather than his music, and honestly we're not even that surprised. Just like Virgil Abloh and his Off-White label, La Flame is one of the very few collaborators who have been given the chance to fully rework silhouettes. While other partnerships have people smacking their name on the heel and calling it a day, Nike has given Scott full control over what he wants to do.

Perhaps if Kanye West were given this kind of creative reign back in the 2009 Air Yeezy days he'd still be part of Team Swoosh. With that said, it's safe to say that the Beaverton brand have learned from their past mistakes and are more than happy to hand over the keys to some of their most legendary models.

As we celebrate the Houston-born rapper's birthday this week, we wanted to take a look at five Travis Scott x Nike "Cactus Jack" pairs that have completely changed the game. We've also included a bonus one at the end, so make sure you check it out! It's lit!

Probably one of the most recognisable AF1 collaborations in existence, the Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 "Fossil" completely changed the game in terms of what could be done to the staple silhouette. The design of the Air Force 1 has pretty much remained unchanged since its debut in the '80s, but La Flame has completely turned it on its head.

With a multi-textured upper that combines canvas, leather, suede, and wool materials, unique prints make their way across each of the sections for a DIY-inspired aesthetic. From Realtree Camo to Cyrillic, it seems like this shoe changes its appearance depending on what angle you look at it.

Other cool elements include an oversized lace shroud that boasts a golden zip in the centre, and light green stitching that runs around the Air midsole. Intricate details like these are what sets Travis apart from the rest of the collab crew.

2018 saw the release of the legendary Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 "University Blue", and when we say legendary, we mean legendary. Perhaps one of Trav's most recognisable sneakers, this collab was renowned for having hundreds of different samples. From purple pairs to olive options, leaks were aplenty before these launched, but this bright blue colourway was the one that was selected and it's hard not see why.

Paying homage to Michael Jordan's alma mater, the "University Blue" is painted in his school colours. Pops of "Varsity Red" added a dashing contrast to the design, while black tones brought everything back down to earth.

Around the back of the Air Jordan 4 you'll find co-branded logos with Cactus Jack cross arriving on the left heel and the signature Jumpman gracing the right. Three years later, these went on to inspired the "University Blue" AJ4 that transformed the industry in its own right.

In 2017, the Beaverton brand celebrated the Air Force 1's 35th birthday with the AF100 Collection. Bringing together some of the fashion and music world's biggest names including Don C, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, ACRONYM‘s Errolson Hugh, and Virgil Abloh, one of the most memorable pairs has got to be the Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 "White".

With a clean "Triple White" colourway, the versatile construction is lined with complementary taping for a look that is sure to turn heads. By default the Swoosh logos on the side take on a metallic silver finish, but these can actually be switched out into various different finishes. A Cactus Jack lace shroud also comes in the box, and you can't talk about this collab without mentioning the grille-inspired dubrae that's unique to this shoe.

All of this is lined with a beautiful gum rubber outsole, finishing off the world-renowned release.

Travis Scott is the king of taking sneaker trends to the next level. While the tearaway fad certainly wasn't new back in 2020, it was thrown into another dimension with the release of the Travis Scott x Nike SB Dunk Low "Parachute Beige". Borrowing elements from 2019's "Fossil", the Cyrillic print is partnered with bandana and tartan panels. Thick rope laces tie everything together while mismatched black and pink Swooshes glide across the lateral and medial sidewalls, respectively.

If that sounds appealing, there's a lot more where that came from. As you wear the Dunk Low the upper will slowly but surely rip off over time, revealing a truly unique look that you need to see to believe.

Another interesting thing about this particular release was the fact that it was not available on Nike SNKRS and was exclusive to select Nike SB stockists, making them all the more exclusive.

And last but not least, we have the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High "Dark Mocha". Unlike anything we had seen before, this release showed that Nike literally let La Flame do whatever he wanted with their silhouettes. From a distance, the "Dark Mocha" seems like any old Air Jordan 1, but upon closer inspection you'll find that there's more than meets the eye.

First of all, the lateral Swoosh has been completely flipped for an almost bootleg-inspired aesthetic. This sits atop a tumbled leather base with buttery brown suede panels that gracefully wrap around the ankle, heel, and toebox.

Down below, you'll find a crisp white Air midsole for comfort that's off the charts, and rounding everything off is a finely debossed Cactus Jack emoji at the back which is the only Travis branding in the entire shoe. There's no wonder why this shoe is reselling for about 900% over its original price.

Hear me out here. While the PlayStation x Travis Scott x Nike Dunk Low isn't really an official collaboration with the Swoosh and is more of a promotional product, it still deserves a mention. Coinciding with the release of the PlayStation 5, only five were raffled off to lucky fans in the U.S., so naturally enough, resale prices are at insane levels.

For instance, if you check secondary marketplaces such as StockX you'll find pairs selling for literally millions of dollars. As of me writing this, a size US12 will set you back just under $100 million, proving just how much influence Travis Scott has in the sneaker game.

As for the shoes themselves they're pretty minimal in their design. Working on top of a pale blue base, cream panels make their way throughout the shoe, while a backwards Swoosh also features here in a dark charcoal accent. You'll also find a ton of PS5-inspired details too including embroidered logos at the heel and kanji encased within the icy blue outsole.