Although the collaboration has been leaked, much of the "NikeLab x Kim Jones" has remained a mystery. The full picture has finally been revealed. Check out the interview with Kim Jones!
Kim Jones is the artistic director of the Louis Vuitton men's collection. He spends almost as much time in the sky as on the ground. He has recently visited the Greek islands, Shima, Japan, and New York City, and will soon be heading to Indonesia's Komodo Islands to see the famous dragons, as well as to remote parts of China. Travel also serves as a major source of inspiration for the unexpected fusion of street and sportswear styles that have cemented his industry reputation.
But his travels, as well as his designs, go well beyond the usual and include explorations of time periods, images and memories. In his case, it has led him to East London (his hometown and the place where he first became associated with Nike) and to fashion archives, including over 500 pairs of sneakers.
As Jones answers below, a conceptual collage was drawn from these various trips to create the NikeLab x Kim Jones Packable Sport Style Collection. It is also made with the assumption that it will help athletes travel with ease as they prepare for their upcoming trip to Rio.
The NikeLab Packable Windrunner Top x Kim Jones was worn by British heptathlete Katharina Johnson-Thompson. Made of water-resistant woven fabric and designed with minimal seams, it can be rolled up and easily wrapped in a pouch. ¥37,800 in tax
Kim Jones
What are your earliest memories of Nike?
When I was 13 or 12 years old, I absolutely wanted a certain Nike shoe and managed to beg my parents to buy it for me. I liked them at first sight and wanted them immediately.
Do you remember what those shoes were?
It was a silver Nike Vandal.
Q: Did you first become interested in sneakers from a street culture perspective or from a sports perspective?
I was very into cycling as a kid and had many shoes. They were shoes for sport, but they were very cool. I was also a straight edge (a subgenre of hardcore punk) guy for a while, so I was really into Jordans back then. Everyone was looking for the Jordan 5. I loved those shoes so much, and I wanted to compete for every color because I didn't want to wear the same color as everyone else. I am a typical teenage stiff boy. I always had friends that I spent time with, which was very convenient because we all had the same size feet. We always exchanged shoes.
Do you still have those shoes in your archives?
I probably have 500 or 600 pairs in my archives. I have them in my house in London and on many shelves in Paris. I have a lot of Jordans and Harrachs. I bought them in bulk when they first came out because I liked them so much.
What do you find particularly interesting about the sneakers?
I am now interested in sneaker technology. So much quickly evolving technology has become established and excellent product design. I am very interested in the technology aspect of sneakers and how it can drive fashion and become a lifestyle.
What else are you interested in right now?
（I always refer to culture (more than fashion). And travel is also important. I like South Africa, especially the energy I feel in that place. Tokyo, New York and LA are also nice, and I like to go to different places. Last summer I went to Southeast Asia and it was very interesting.
Since the launch of your graduation collection, your aesthetic is often described as high fashion with a hint of street style. Do you agree with this opinion? Or would you like to add something?
I think everything is heading in that direction and I think I was just one of the first in that direction. I had a memory the other day that was written looking back on my first collection, and it made me feel that I had come frighteningly far, it's been 15 years and things have moved too fast, I've done too much, I've done too many things, I've done too many things, I've done too many things, I've done too many things, I've done too many things, I've done too many things. I will continue to refine what I am doing.
Why is streetwear and sportswear so important today?
Because it is real. It's because it's close to everyone's lives and connected to everything else.
You are already quite active in the field of sportswear. What was different about this collaboration with Nike?
We have always wanted to work with Nike and the timing was perfect when they approached us. We decided to take advantage of Nike's technology and turn something old into something new. We didn't want the collection to look retro, we wanted it to be modern and resonate with today's youth.
Speaking of youth, the color palette of the collection is a mix of club kid neon and neutral colors.
All the colors come from the old Air Max. I used colors from the Air Max 95, the Classic, and the original Air Max, as well as some future-inspired colors. I mixed all the elements of different things I like to do with the DNA that characterizes Nike products.
Some of the garments in the collection are changeable, or can be worn by the wearer in various situations.
The design and functionality of the product is designed to be practical so that the wearer can use it in a variety of ways. We created these items with the idea that they should be easy to use for the wearer.
NikeLab Packable Windrunner Top x Kim Jones" worn by Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov, ¥37,800 in tax
What are some of the details that you have incorporated into the design?
We aimed to make them as light and small as possible, with the least amount of seams and joints. We looked at what Nike is really good at, at its real strength, and used those elements and techniques in our manufacturing. Windrunner is made from just one piece of material, and the most difficult part was how to cut the material and create the curves.
What about the jacquard print on the knit top?
I was looking at the shape of the body and the flattened flyknit (upper) pattern, which is very beautiful. So I thought, what kind of garment would it be if I made it bigger, maybe a t-shirt?
The NikeLab Air Zoom LWP x Kim Jones is inspired by the 1995 Nike Air Zoom LWP, the first running shoe to feature Nike's Zoom Air technology. The upper is based on the original design, while the last is from the Air Max 1. Includes shoe bag. ¥27,000 in tax
NikeLab Air Zoom LWP x Kim Jones uses the original Zoom 95 upper and Air Max 1 footprint.
I like the fact that we created a completely new shoe based on an old shoe. It took quite a few tries to get it right. At first they were too lumpy, then they were too thin, and so on. I was trying to come up with a shoe that I would wear myself and be proud of. It's great to get Nike sneakers, I'm proud of them.
Are there any other old Nike sneakers that you would like to try your hand at?
There are several. Footscapes would be interesting, and it would be interesting to combine several of your favorite things in parts, or cut and paste them together to create something new. Revive what was at the most recent tip at the time in a different way to make it the most current. The technology has changed, so everything can be made lighter and more comfortable. Everyone wears sneakers at any time, so comfort and practicality are important. We also need to keep in mind that time is precious. If there is something that can make things easier and simpler, it is important in life, and of course at the same time it is important that it is beautiful.
I would like to return to the theme of the collection as a whole, "packable" and your love of travel.
I like to find new things, do new things, see new places. I want to see everything in the world with my own eyes while I am alive. I am also very interested in nature. To find something new, you have to go far away, but if you don't go to that unknown place, you don't know what you will see. I can look it up on the internet or in a book, but I want to see it with my own eyes, touch it, and be inspired by the culture, wildlife, and people. I am a very sensitive person in that respect. I do a lot of research on the Internet about the places I want to visit, but I don't know what I will actually see on the street corner until I get there. That is the most interesting part.
What are the five best places you have visited so far?
Easter Island, Mongolia, many African countries, maybe Ethiopia, Maldives were also wonderful. I also like Siem Reap in Cambodia. India too, especially Rajasthan. And I love my hometown of London, and South Africa. The Galapagos Islands are great, Patagonia is wonderful, and Bhutan is really fascinating.
To combine your love of travel with your interest in street culture and sportswear, where do you find strength in street fashion these days?
Now I also like Tokyo and LA. Also Sao Paulo. I haven't been to Australia for a while, but the last time I was there I thought it was very interesting, and New Zealand is also interesting in that there are many designers from there who are local and experimental.
The "NikeLab X Kim Jones: Packable Sport Style Collection" is a collection ofNIKE.COM/NikeLaband select NikeLab retailers on Saturday, July 23. The "NikeLab Air Zoom LWP x Kim Jones" will be available at DSM stores only on Saturday, July 23. Other retailers will release the shoes in September or later. Please look forward to it!
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