Less reissued than most Air Maxes, the Big Window aka « BW » is nevertheless a favorite of many sneakerheads. This year 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of this silhouette. In celebration, Nike is releasing a « City Pack » honoring the impact of this model on certain global cities. The « Rotterdam », « Los Angeles » and « Lyon » versions have been unveiled.
This silhouette was designed by the great Tinker Hatfield in 1991. Nicknamed BW, the Big Window designation refers to the visible air window of the sole. The reason for the name « Big » is that it’s slightly larger than the previous model, the AM90. This shoe had conquered the sportsmen but also the American singers of R&B and Rap of the Nineties. It has thus gained popularity and has become an iconic silhouette, a must-have in the Nike catalog.
The versions « Rotterdam » and « Los Angeles » of this new « City pack » have an almost similar design. They consist of a black mesh base complemented by white and black overlays. For the « Rotterdam » pair, these overlays are made with leather or denim, and for the « Los Angeles » they appear in leather or suede. The look is asserted thanks to other elements of white color, such as the rear TPU reinforcements and the midsole. Both iterations feature a bright contrasting color on the iconic side Swoosh, upper eyelets, tongue, inner lining, heel tab, heel clip and sole (for the Rotterdam version only). It’s the green shade for « Rotterdam » and orange for « Los Angeles ». The name of the city that the shoe represents is affixed in white on the heel. To ensure homage, typical details of each city stand out on the insole and on the left tongue.
The « Lyon » iteration combines metallic grey mesh on the upper with black or white leather overlays and a white TPU heel insert. The pearl grey colorway is found on the upper eyelets, tongue, inner lining, heel clip and the legendary side Swoosh. To ensure the tribute, the inscription « Lyon » coupled with the Swoosh appears on the left tongue and replaces the usual NIKE branding. As with the « Rotterdam » and « Los Angeles » iterations, the French city name is emblazoned in white on the back of the heel. The metallic silver dubraes feature the dates 1991 and 2021 engraved and the insole is adorned with a tri-color Nike logo. A white midsole and black outsole finalize the look.
The Nike Air Max BW « City pack » will be released soon at select retailers and nike.com, priced at 140$ per pair. For the latest official details, stay tuned !
