In 1996, Nike Running quietly made its first foray into footwear promoting natural motion with the introduction of a sneaker/sandal hybrid called the Nike Air Rift that became something of a classic. That unique split-toe design and stretchy fit and all round comfort made this quite strange looking shoe an everyday go to sneaker.
The design of the Air Rift was inspired by the efficient barefoot style of Kenyan distance runners and their international competition dominance. To honor the Kenyan long-distance dominance, the shoe debuted in the colors of the country’s flag and drew its name from Kenya’s Rift Valley province.
Kenya’s topography lent more than its name to the Air Rift’s design. The nation’s signature characteristic, the stunning Great Rift Valley fault line, provided a second source of inspiration for the shoe’s defining characteristic: a decoupled toe that created articulation between the wearers first and second toes.
These re-drop this summer in some of those OG colourways and some dope new ones! We can’t wait.
Categories: Feetured, Shoes News
The Word on the Feet 