Sanrio fans may recall that Nike released three pairs of Hello Kitty-themed Air Presto sneakers to celebrate the Japanese company’s 30th anniversary in 2004. Brought to life by Steven Smith and Hiroshi Fujiwara, these elusive drops in five colourways, no less, were distributed to friends and family but unfortunately weren’t made available for retail.
Photo from Nike
After almost two decades, the duo is back with a brand-new collection featuring the adorable cat character. The highly anticipated drop includes monogrammed cuffed sweatpants in a calming sky-blue hue, oversized tees, as well as cosy cotton hoodies perfect for watching your favourite Netflix show in. Hypebae-wannabes will also appreciate the white T-shirt featuring both Nike Air and Hello Kitty branding, which was first released in January 2022.
Photo from Nike
Aside from a limited apparel range, the capsule collection also includes a pair of rebirthed Air Prestos (US$140/S$193.96), featuring a sky-blue upper lining embellished with Hello Kitty’s face. Designed by Yuko Shimizu, these kicks have white side cages and laces that contrast beautifully with a red bow tie perched on the sneakers’ tongues. For a touch of kitsch, the heel moulds themselves are made in the image of the well-loved feline.
Photo from Nike
Don’t worry about sacrificing comfort for style as the insides of the shoes are made from buttery-soft black velour, while the insoles feature rainbows, lush greenery, and blue skies—a nod to Hello Kitty’s dreamlike world. All of that is packaged in a special box marked by both Nike’s Swoosh sign and Hello Kitty’s iconic bow, a fitting presentation for the collaboration.
Photo from Nike
With Hello Kitty collaborations aplenty these days, from a luxury partnership with Balenciaga to a Y2K-inspired capsule with Blumarine, there’s no doubt the mouthless cat remains one of the most popular characters in pop culture and fashion.
Shop the collection here.
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