The Nike Air Force One is one of the most famous and instantly recognisable sneaker silhouettes in the world, second only to maybe the Air Jordan 1. But sometimes Nike have to take a break from delivering new Air Jordan mids to bring us a special collab of their own! The AF1 has brought countless iterations, colourways, and collaborations to deliver endless possibilities to sneakerheads for decades! Now a collab between Nike and Manchester-based sneaker store Size? have produced the best sneaker ever created for Mancunians! Introducing the Nike Air Force One ‘Manchester Bee’, the only sneaker Manchester ever needed!
These gorgeous sneakers have been coloured to a neutral palette, so they could fit with almost any outfit! The main body is made from tan leather and suede, with the classic bold black Nike swoosh adorning the upper and the iconic pure white midsoles common on so many world-famous Nike silhouettes! The outsoles come in grey, so won’t show dirt as intensely as white does, and are adorned with grip stripes and star patterning.
Size? and Nike didn’t hold back when it comes to the fine details, and there’s plenty for Mancunians to fall in love with. The tongue comes in perfect white, with pure white laces too to ensure no focus is taken from the detailing. At the top of the tongue you’ll find, embroidered in distinct deep black, Manchester’s own 0161 telephone area number, made famous by lines like “0161 Manny on the map” spoken by Manchester-based rap and grime artists like Bugzy Malone.
But the Mancunian details don’t stop there! You’ll find (of course) the city’s iconic Manchester worker bee emblem, which many had tattooed to themselves in the wake of the 2017 Manchester terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. But the most subtle detail is the honeycomb, engraved into the tan heel in a way that makes it only visible if you look carefully!
These incredible sneakers were priced at £130 on first release, with 10% of each sale being donated to Manchester-based charity We Love MCR, which uses it to run their Rising Stars Fund, aimed at supporting young Mancunians for disadvantaged backgrounds! However now it looks like they’re available at resale only. With only 3000 pairs made, be sure to grab your pair as soon as you can, as that price is sure to only rise!