Singer and modern-day style icon Billie Eilish recently joined forces with iconic shoe brand Nike to develop leather-free Air Jordan sneaks in the former’s signature slime green color. These are the first vegan shoes produced by the brand and are in keeping with both Nike’s current sustainability measures and Eilish’s drive towards more plant-based consumption.
News of the collaboration and first pics of the Billie Eilish x Nike sneakers were leaked through an Instagram post by PVA Sneakers. Insiders say that the kicks will be officially launched on September 30th.
The shoes’ Ghost Green color calls to mind Nike’s signature Don C Legacy 231 kicks. It also takes inspiration from a commemorative pair of Gatorade sneakers in lime-green that Eilish chose for a feature with Complex back in 2019. The new vegan Air Jordans will be monochromatic and will sport the singer’s whimsical Blohsh logo together with her name.
A sustainable change
At present, standard Air Jordan designs are made with a combination of synthetic materials and animal leather. However, newer models like the Jordan Flight Flex have been 100% synthetic in recent years, making them more sustainable to produce.
Nike is no stranger to the way climate change is influencing the global fashion industry. Recently, the brand has raised public awareness on issues regarding fashion and global climate policies.
For this collaboration with Eilish, the brand aims to focus attention on the future of fashion as a whole and how activism can make a major difference when it comes to the fight against climate change.
Here come the happy pineapples
This celebrity collaboration is by no means Nike’s only foray into the use of vegan materials in its footwear. Indeed, this actually reflects the ongoing market demand for sustainable footwear.
In a recent study published by Future Market Insights, it was noted that today’s consumers are calling for transparency among manufacturers regarding eco-friendly and sustainable production practices. Because of this, global brands like Nike have been introducing several innovations into their manufacturing processes, including the use of leather substitutes to meet consumer demand.
As of this years summer, Nike has stated that it will begin offering new iterations of its most iconic shoes made with faux leather crafted from pineapple fibers developed by the vegan brand Pinatex.
The Happy Pineapple collection features au courant editions of fan favorites like the Nike Air Max, Air Force 1, and the Air Max 90. This drive towards using vegan materials is another way that Nike has ramped up its efforts to make its production practices more sustainable.
