NikeLab has once again teamed up with Roundel this time using the Air Zoom Spiridon silhouette. In 2013, Nike collaborated with Roundel on a pair of Air Max models (the AM1 and AM90) in celebration of the 150th anniversary of London’s Underground transit system. The design employed a rectangular woven Jacquard pattern inspired by the unmistakable seat upholstery found in railway cars, which was created by Misha Black for the District Line in 1978. The collaboration set a greater precedent of contextualizing the Big Smoke’s rich transport heritage within the city’s broader cultural history.
This year, the second iteration of the collaboration honors the centennial of Transport for London’s iconic typographic identity: the Johnston font. Applying it to the Nike Zoom Spiridon, NikeLab and Roundel pay respect to ‘90s garage rave fashion and the century-old font with 3M hits and bold prints.
On the NikeLab x Roundel Zoom Spiridon, a sample of the Johnston font is sublimated and printed in a repeat pattern and engineered to cover each shoe equally. A transparent monofilament mesh covers the print on the shoe’s vamp. Further embellishments include an an iridescent synthetic leather Swoosh and a fully reflective mudguard, which serve to extend the silhouette’s signature 3M taping and further amplify its reflectivity.
The NikeLab x Roundel Zoom Spiridon releases on November 9 at an exclusive pop-up in Charing Cross station London, and November 10 in Tokyo.
all images courtesy of Nike