G-DRAGON, the Seoul-born hip-hop star, didn’t always have easy access to his favorite sneakers, the Nike Air Force 1.
“Ever since I came across hip-hop as a kid, AF1 has had a meaning greater than just shoes,” says G-DRAGON. “I couldn’t afford them, so I would always pass the Nike store and admire them with my eyes and heart only. For those who loved hip-hop culture, oversized clothes, hats and matching-colored AF1s was the uniform.”
Progressing as a performer and blossoming into a worldwide phenomenon, G-DRAGON has made the Air Force 1 an integral part of his uniform. The Nike Air Force 1 “Para-noise” reflects this overtly with a unique upper fabrication that features a black painted overlay designed to slowly wear away over time to reveal a personal artwork created by G-DRAGON.
The artwork conveys a sense of optimism, inspired by the singer-songwriter’s vision of a world where the youth are unified through creativity and a free exchange of ideas. For G-DRAGON, art is an important expression of self that pushes culture forward.
“I was made by a culture derived by people from the past,” he says.
Additional embellishments include a daisy embroidered on the tongue and removable custom pins in the upper eyelets.
The Nike Air Force 1 Para-noise launched globally November 23.
