New silhouette, same intention. Patta reinterprets the Air Max 90 with a new "The Waves" series.
The wave doesn't fade. Four years after redefining the contours of the Air Max 1 with its "Waves" series, Patta returns to its graphic language, this time on unexpected ground: the Air Max 90. While the silhouette imagined by Tinker Hatfield in 1990 has already seen numerous reinterpretations, Patta's vision still manages to surprise. Since 2009, Patta and Nike have been building a shared narrative, at the intersection of design, culture, and commitment. The two partners move forward with a rare singularity: over a dozen collaborations, including six Air Max 1s that quickly earned their place in the sneaker pantheon. Patta isn't just a recurring guest of the Swoosh: it's one of its most enduring, and arguably most influential collaborators in the Air Max range.
Photo Credits: @patta_nl (Instagram)
Founded in the heart of Amsterdam in 2004, the Dutch shop was originally a sneaker boutique. Since then, the brand has drawn from its roots, its musical affinities, and the streets, to develop a language of its own: raw, honest, alive. With this new collaboration, the intention remains the same: to translate movement. The wavy overlays are back, carried here by a more angular, more structured silhouette. The organic meets the industrial. The fluid motion of the pattern creates friction with the robust framework of the Air Max 90. The result? Two hybrid pairs, in constant balance between two energies.
Two colorways, two tonalities
Same base, same energy. Here, Patta experiments with contrasts. With these two iterations, the Dutch shop continues to explore what it does best: telling stories through textures, volumes, and colors. The first AM90 plays on subtlety: a light grey mesh, crossed by blue overlays. On the materials side, the pair retains its traditional panels while the co-branding completes the design. The second, named "Cyber", embraces a bolder contrast. Blue gives way to fluorescent yellow. Eyelets. Branding. Air bubble. The AM90's details get a deliberate contrast that adds depth to the model. And it was on the feet of Nigerian rapper ODUMODUBLVCK, during his performance at London's City Splash, that the pair made its first public appearance.
Photo Credits: @odumodublvck (Instagram)
The strength of this collaboration doesn't lie solely in the choice of materials or in the aesthetics of the Air Max 90. It lies in what Patta brings to the pair: a philosophy. Since its beginnings, the Amsterdam shop doesn't just embellish silhouettes. It inhabits them. It injects meaning, history, a collective memory. On these two Air Max 90s, this idea takes on a new dimension. The contrast between the fluid lines of the pattern and the angular framework of the pair becomes a dialogue between heritage and the present. A way to extend the story without freezing it. To revisit without reproducing. As of now, the launch date remains unclear. However, Patta hints at an imminent entry into the footwear lineup. What's certain is that you'll need to be quick. Expect to pay $160 per pair.
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