NIKE unveils 'grass sneaker' with turfed green uppers

in the age of ‘ugly sneakers’ it’s not unusual to see an unusual pair of shoes. in fact we’ve seen quite a few: there’s shoes made entirely from tennis balls and shuttlecocks; balenciaga’s platform crocs; and more recently fecal matter ‘skin heels‘. now NIKE is testing tastes when it comes to footwear. as the 2018-19 PGA tour takes place, NIKE has prepared a rather unusual take on its air max 1 golf shoe – the air max 1 ‘grass sneaker’.

images courtesy of J23 app via twitter

originally designed by american sneaker designer tinker hatfield, the air max 1 has experienced countless iterations but none others quite like this one. featuring a turf-like upper, NIKE‘s ‘grass sneaker’ takes aesthetic cues with the golf courses that inspire its design.

the silhouette’s turf-like upper comes complete in a rich green colorway coupled with a monochromatic lacing column. below the green turf-like top of the shoe is a zoom air midsole and a gum rubber outsole with golf-ready traction. embroidered swoosh branding punctuates the design on the lateral and medial sides, while nike air branding on the heel is absent for this release.

the sneaker’s release date is yet unknown with current reports rumouring a price tag of $140 a pair. we will have to wait and see if these new ‘grass’ sneakers will actually be worn by a PGA tour pro this season or if they are just some balenciaga-esque marketing ploy.