Nike Air Max Day - 'Max Talk' With Luke
Luke, (Instagram: @_coffeeandkicks)
On Air Max Day 2022 we had the opportunity to interact with a handful of our community members and chop it up regarding anything and everything Air Max. Welcome to 'Max Talk' where our community members share some of their personal experiences with the Swoosh, more specifically the Air Max line and how they came to fall in love with the culture. It's no surprise the sport giant has been pushing the envelope with sustainable practices in efforts to build towards a more circular economy - prime example with their 'Move to Zero' journey crafting a variety of products from recycled materials. Meanwhile Nike pledges to converting to 100% renewable energy sources by 2025, let's tap in with Luke to learn about his Air Max journey and what he wishes to see in the future from Nike regarding eco-conscious designs and directions.
What do you currently do for a living, and what are some of your hobbies?
"When I’m not at school finishing my Thesis for Industrial Design at OCAD University, I’m at Faema Canada! Notably one of the largest coffee equipment Importers and distributors in the country! At Faema Canada, I run all Social Media outlets and Content Creation while also leading the development of an entire product line for the brand. From Marketing, Apparel / Accessories, Coffee Equipment, and everything in between. On my off hours, I love to do anything creative. Whenever I get the chance to work on a Design Project, Photoshoot, or Painting, I jump at the opportunity! Over the past 5 years one of my best friends from university and I have run a freelance mural company called LUCID MURALS where we’ve painted corporate offices, storefronts, and statement walls all of the city and GTA! On top of all of this my personal passion … My instagram account @_CoffeeandKicks ! A collection of photos and videos displaying my love for sneakers and exploring the world of coffee all over city."
What was your most memorable experience regarding a pair of Air Max (if possible, an experience tied to your hobby/profession)?
"One of my most memorable sneaker moment ever, which happens to be Airmax Day related has to be the day I secured the Sean Wotherspoon AirMax 97/1’s after a 72 hour 'battle'. After almost a week of lost raffles, chasing info all over the internet, and two failed sneaker lineups (both stores ran out of pairs after a combined 13 hours of waiting) My Airmax day 2017 came down to a Capsule in-store live raffle release. After a plethora of lucky coincidences, and perfect scenarios I was one of a very select few to win a pair in a crowd of what felt like 500 screaming sneaker heads. One of my favourite sneaker moments of all time was being one of the only winners to put the Wotherspoon's on in the all glass store front and walk out with them on my feet."
What is your grail Air Max?
"One of my biggest grails Sneakers that also happen to be an Air Max 1, are the Patta 5th Anniversary Chlorophyll’s. For me, the combination between a legendary and historic Nike collaborator that consistently produces clean, simple, and versatile classics every time have made these Air Max 1’s a no brainer for me ... and have been at the top of my dream shoe list for years."
What are your thoughts on this years Air Max Day exclusive AM1 'Blueprint'?
"When I look at this years Blue Print AirMax Day release I instantly get some much needed Sunny Summer vibes! These look like they’ll be perfect for a walk to one of my favourite Cafe’s on a beautiful Spring / Summer day! You simply cannot beat a clean two tone classic, and being that the Airmax 1 is my personal favourite sneaker ever … they’re a must for me!"
What eco-conscious designs and directions do you hope to see from Nike's Air Max line in the future?
"From a material standpoint, it would be really awesome to see Nike use a lot more sustainable and ethical products for major releases! From what i've seen, a lot of the cutting edge breakthroughs and unique designs with a sustainable scope in mind have made mainly been small batches or very hard to get. It would incredible to see a major shift in production across the board towards a more sustainable end product. A transition towards local manufacturing, the use of more vegan and synthetic materials, or even Improving the entire lifecycle of a sneaker … would be a fantastic start to creating a more ethical industry."
