Palace Skateboards teams up with Nike for a collaboration that reinvents the Air Max DN8.
Palace is making moves on all fronts. After revisiting the football heritage of the 2000s with the Nike Total 90, the brand founded by Lev Tanju and Gareth Skewis is now tackling a more recent silhouette: the Air Max DN8. While some saw this as just a simple foray of Palace into the Swoosh, the London label proves once again that it knows how to assert its visual language.
The collaboration between the two partners continues a creative dialogue that has become essential. After revisiting football references, Palace chooses this time to manipulate Nike's contemporary innovation rather than its heritage. The idea is clear: to demonstrate that a recent model can also undergo a reinterpretation capable of merging a skate identity with a sportswear legacy. Palace is no longer satisfied with just a tribute: the British label imposes its DNA and signature. A subtle nod, but enough to anchor the DN8 in the Palace universe without distorting the Dynamic Air technology.
For this new chapter, Palace unveils three variations of the Air Max DN8 that draw from the raw energy of the British shop. Palace's creative teams dive into the Swoosh archives to rediscover one of its most iconic pieces: the Nike Air Max Plus “Eclair Lightning”. Gradient mesh. TPU overlays. Co-branding signed Palace x Nike. No doubt, each design asserts the legendary model that is particularly beloved in Europe. Each sneaker features an orange base as a common thread, contrasted with black, gray, and white, while the upper is adorned with a lightning pattern. In terms of technology, the DN8 stays true to its futuristic architecture: dual pressure Air unit and eight Dynamic Air tubes, capable of modulating cushioning based on impact.
From Jersey to Decor
Alongside the three DN8s, Palace unveils a collection of apparel that extends the storytelling. At the heart of this selection: a series of football jerseys inspired by several key neighborhoods where Palace has its shops. Soho in London, New York, Apgujeong in Seoul, Fukuoka. Each jersey is designed as a nod to a place, a vibe.
Photo credits: @palaceskateboards (Instagram)
To celebrate this release, Palace accompanies the collection with a campaign featuring spectacular imagery. Directed by Eamonn Freel, the video showcases rider Ville Wester at the center of an electric setup that goes beyond mere metaphor. In a hangar bathed in bluish halos, massive Tesla coils unleash arcs of light while engineers oversee over 100,000 volts of controlled electricity. In this chaos, Wester, followed by Rocky, his four-legged companion, carves a path through the lightning, embodying the raw power evoked by the DN8.
Photo credits: @palaceskateboards (Instagram)
A staging that reflects Palace's philosophy: to play with excess, subvert the spectacular, and transform experimentation into visual language. Here, electricity is not just an effect: it’s the thread that runs through the entire collaboration, amplifying the essence of the DN8.
And when is it dropping?
The latest drop from the British brand will be available starting December 12 at Palace, both online and in-store. The launch will include the entire apparel collection as well as the three DN8s, each priced at €200. Two sneakers will also be available on December 17 on Nike SNKRS. Be quick, though!
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