WORDS BY JOSEPH FURNESS
The infinity stones of the sneakerverse; every hypebeast has been searching for a pair of Nike x Travis Scott kicks since 2017. They’re scarce, super-fresh and highly sought-after, meaning that anyone who manages to get their gauntlets on a pair is left feeling extremely worthy. But be warned, as it’s said that he/she who sources all eight could ultimately end up with a God complex — and no one likes a narcissist.
“The success of the Nike x Travis Scott collaboration is a combination of his star power and the fact that the colorways are actually really damn good. From his Air Force 1 with a custom grill to the new Air Jordan 1 in earthy tones and a backwards Swoosh, all his designs are solid with unique details.” - Zack Schlemmer (Senior Editor at Stadium Goods)
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1
To commemorate the Air Force 1’s 35th Anniversary (back in 2017), Nike enlisted the help of six creatives to remix the classic silhouette, including Travis Scott — one of the most influential rappers of the moment.
The Houston artist refreshed the Air Force 1 Low with embellishments such as velcro patches, detachable swooshes and a lace grill. But our favorite addition has to be the multi-colored reflective taping that completely switches-up the shoe’s aesthetic after dark.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 ‘Sail’
The Travis Scott Air Force 1 ‘Sail’ may feature a creamy-colored upper, but they’re far from vanilla. Boxed with all the unique details that made the first release so special; the second drop in the collaboration proved just as popular.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 4 ‘Cactus Jack’
The Nike Air Jordan 4 ‘Cactus Jack’ isn’t just a fire colorway of a popular Jordan silhouette, but it’s also an ode to the Houston Oilers (and therefore a nod to the rapper’s Southern upbringings). The sneaker’s palette is exclusive to the collaboration and is joined by ‘Cactus Jack’ branding across the shoe and complete with a ‘Travis Scott’ label hidden on the inside of the sneaker’s tongue.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan XXIII ‘NRG’
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 33 'NRG' sneaker is the low-key release of the collection — and we love an underdog. Fashioned with a versatile army olive upper and built upon the Jordan 33’s Flight Speed technology; this is a sneaker that shouldn’t be slept on.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 High ‘Cactus Jack’
What do you get when you cross one of the coolest rappers of our time with the most iconic sneaker silhouette in history? THE ULTIMATE SNEAKER OF THE YEAR, THAT’S WHAT. (Excuse the enthusiasm, we just really, really like this shoe.)
The Nike Air Jordan 1 has been completely flipped on its head (and, in this case, flipped sideways) by Travis. Design changes include a very-statement reverse swoosh, a hidden compartment behind the wings (he loves a hidden detail does Travis), ‘Cactus Jack’ emblems inside and outside the shoe and a pop of red stitching that contrasts against its dreamy Mocha color scheme.
“The Air Jordan 4 was hugely successful, but I think the Air Jordan 1 is the most popular overall. The hype is certainly real around this release. After all, it's an Air Jordan 1, which is always one of the most popular silhouettes on the sneaker market.”- Zack Schlemmer (Senior Editor at Stadium Goods)
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Cactus Jack’
Not only is this a modish sneaker for every-day use, but it’s also guaranteed to ignite a new wave of hype for the Air Jordan 1 Low. Debuted by Scott at the Grammy’s; they’re a perfect alternative to the Cactus Jack ‘Highs’ for low-top lovers.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 6 ‘Cactus Jack’
Decked-out in a utilitarian dusty olive hue, Travis Scott has designed the ultimate Air Jordan 6. The crepes incorporate all of the elements that we’ve grown to love about the 1991 design — such as the reflective dots on the rear of the sneaker, lace toggle and Air sole — which are now joined by exclusive add-ons such as the handy combat-style snap pocket on the side of the sneaker and Cactus Jack branding on the heel.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 ‘Cactus Jack’
Travis Scott rounds off 2019 with his most personal and creative sneaker to date in the AF1 'Cactus Jack'. A love letter to the city that spawned him – Missouri City, Texas – Scott interweaves various references from his upbringing to create a patchwork-like upper composed of various materials. There's durable duck canvas to represent the working class roots of his community, alongside custom camouflages and natural tones inspired by the great outdoors, as well as more abstract patches that reference Scott's beloved 'AstroWorld' and 'Cactus Jack' record imprint.
Travis also keeps with the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality with the reprise of his beloved lace covers, this time in a half corduroy, half canvas zip-up configuration. Scott's crepe design has come a long way since the clean white Air Force 1's, and we're very happy about it.
Travis Scott X Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Travis Scott'
Very much a continuation of the ‘mash-up of references’ design approach Scott employed on his ‘Cactus Jack’ AF1, the ‘Travis Scott’ Nike SB Dunk Low contrasts grungy tartan plaid against navy canvas adorned with bandana print. For those looking for an extra touch of custom detailing, the canvas layers can be peeled away to reveal a tree camo underlay, or if used as originally intended will reveal itself the more your scuff your shoes doing tres flips and ollieing five sets. The shoe is finished with Travis’s trademark mismatching swoosh’s alongside rope laces and that signature fat SB Dunk tongue complete with ‘Cactus Jack’ tongue label.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Max 270 React 'Cactus Trails'
As the ‘Cactus Trails’ model name alludes to, this is Scott’s interpretation of hikercore. Travis turns the futuristic 270 silhouette into a nostalgic nineties inspired trail runner with a colorway composed of outdoor-friendly browns, tans, and oranges and ACG color pops. The vintage aesthetic is amplified with an oxidized Air sole which has been treated with a sulphur dye to give a well-worn patina, alongside a collar made from a hiker essential – polar fleece. Rounding off the shoe are some La Flame signature details like a ‘Cactus Jack’ branded heel tab and cool lace-lock detailing.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 Retro 'British Khaki'
The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 Cactus Jack is a blockbuster sneaker; thus, Jordan brand and Scott couldn’t help but green-light a sequel – the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 British Khaki.
What's new? Let’s start from the bottom. The outsole is now adorned with Cactus Jack iconography and entirely created out of a glow in the dark rubber. Moving up to the midsole, the sneaker features a small yet noticeable detail – a Cactus Jack scribble face that reminds onlookers of the man behind the design. Turning your attention towards the upper, the olive-colored nubuck suede of the OG is replaced with an earthy-brown hairy suede that adds a brand new dimension to the sneaker. The tongue and pull tab have also been updated for this release: like the shoe’s outsole, these practical shoe components now glow in the dark. And, last but not least, the British Khaki shoe comes with not one but two zip pockets – one pocket located on each side of the shoe.
Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 High
Some say three’s a crowd, but when a three-way collaboration looks like this, it’s hard to deny the power of the magic number.
In 2021, Travis Scott collaborated with Jordan brand to fuse two of the most popular Air Jordan 1 silhouettes together – the Air Jordan 1 High he created back in 2019 and the Jordan 1 High the sub-label released in partnership with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s imprint, Fragment Design. As expected, the final design employed the popular blue, black, white and sail colorway of the latter – albeit the blue is a slightly different shade – and the reverse swoosh-adorned blueprint of the former.
Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 Low
Just two weeks after the release of the Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 High, a low top edition was released. Par for the course, stock numbers were super low, and the demand was immensely high.
Like its taller, slightly older sibling, the Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 Low is distinguishable by its reverse swoosh, Cactus Jack and Fragment Design iconography and Fragment Design-inspired color palette.
Which one should you incorporate into your sneaker collection? Well, that totally depends on your preference.