Photos: dunk.com.cn
Earlier in the week, Beijing based kiDulty and Sneaker News help break the story on this years “Year of…” sneaker from Nike (the Air Max 1 Year of the Ox). Since, we have learned that a second sneaker will also be released as part of the pack. As we’ve said earlier in the week, more and more sneaker companies are doing a special China shoe to celebrate the “Year of…” story around Chinese New Year’s but every sneaker head knows Nike was the first sneaker company to celebrate this occasion and it all started with the “Year of…” Air Force 1’s which continued up through the “Year of the Dog” AF1.. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Chinese Animal Zodiac you can read up on it here.
For this Blazer Premium, the treatment is the same as the Air Max 1 which takes inspiration from the Chinese Revolution and the military uniforms that were worn during that period, the 1960’s through the 1970’s. On the Air Max 1’s tongue there is a phase written in Chinese characters which translates to “perseverance” or “hard work”. The same is probably applied to the Blazer as well but is not seen from the photos available currently. The heel tab of the Blazer gets the same graphic of the Ox on a raised surface which is also inspired by the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Both pairs will be released in Asia early January 2009 but we’ve also learned that the UK (thanks Ran Shop) will also receive a shipment.