Nike's Billie Eilish & AMBUSH Collabs Are Important: Here's Why

It’s no big secret that the sneaker world hasn’t always been the best at catering to women, but over the past couple of years, we’ve started to see a shift in the right direction. Historically, women’s sneaker options have always fallen victim to the ‘shrink-it-and-pink-it-mentality', but with more women in the scene now than ever before, brands are starting to make sure they offer more options. One way they’ve improved this is through collaboration – and Nike in particular has made a huge effort to work with female creatives, designers and celebrities in order to both celebrate talent and create better products. Most recently, the Swoosh brand has joined forces with two creative powerhouses: Billie Eilish and Yoon Ahn, for a couple of new additions to its 2022 line-up, so here’s what to expect from the upcoming sneakers.

First up, the Billie Eilish x Nike Air Force 1 “Sequoia” follows on from the “Mushroom” colourway that dropped earlier in the year, as well as the pair’s collaborative Jordan models of years gone by. Arriving in a cool, khaki shade, the reworked Air Force 1 sees Billie apply her signature, edgy style to the classic sneaker by adding tonal branding details to the dubraes and insoles, and adding five Velcro straps to the front of the shoe for a subversive take on the silhouette. The previous “Mushroom” colourway saw the shoe come constructed from sustainable materials, so we’re going to go ahead and assume that the same situation will apply to this pair too.

Next, the singer is also set to drop two AF1 Lows over the coming months, also in "Mushroom" and "Sequoia" colour schemes. These take on a monotone patchwork effect, with scraps of fabric in quilted-style stitching covering the upper. We love that Billie is never afraid to be herself, and if the resulting kicks are cool, comfy, and sustainable, you can definitely count us in on these.

Also no stranger to the power of collaboration, Yoon Ahn is set to return for yet another Nike collab. The brain behind AMBUSH and Dior Men’s jewellery designer has worked with the Swoosh brand on a couple of occasions, but her latest collaborative sneaker proves just how invested she is in the sneaker scene. Whilst Nike collabs tend to revolve around certain silhouettes, Yoon dug into the archives to resurrect a long-forgotten basketball shoe, and the result is nothing short of stunning.

Official images have revealed that the AMBUSH x Nike Air Adjust is on the way in “Black White” and “White Black” colourways, and it’s rumored that they’ll also be dropping in “Orange” and “Blue” iterations too. Staying true to the original make-up of the sneaker, Yoon has kept key details like the removable strap and accented uppers, and opted to add simple AMBUSH branding on the shoe’s heels for an understated finish.

Whilst it can sometimes feel like we still have a fair way to go in the fight for sneaker equality, we love that these girls had the chance to put their own spins on these kicks, and the results really speak for themselves. If, like us, you’ll be looking to add these to our sneaker shelves, then be sure to hit the links in order to set your release reminders, as we know that these pairs will be super popular when they drop sometime in the coming months.

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