Back in 2017, Givenchy's then-creative director Riccardo Tisci teamed up with Nike for the Riccardo Tisci x Nike Air Force 1 High. It was, without question, one of the biggest drops of that year. Sneakerheads lost it. And by the looks of things, Bradley Cooper did too.
Originally released in October 2017, this Air Force 1 was inspired by the legendary NBA logo. Crafted from all-black leather, it was contrasted by a canvas ankle strap that's painted in patriotic shades of red, white, and blue. The lateral and medial side Swooshes were overlaid on top of a five-pointed star (a detail that's signature to Tisci), and the heel badge was embroidered with the initials “R.T.” (also signature to Tisci). All of this sat on top of a classic Air-infused midsole, and it dropped alongside a varsity jacket, a jersey, and a pair of track pants.
At this point, we all know that Cooper is something of a fashion renegade. He loves bold varsity jackets, palling around with style god Daniel Day-Lewis, and the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High. While some Very Famous People get into the highly-addictive world of sneakers and just start buying as many hyped pairs as possible, you can tell that the Maestro director has owned his Riccardo Tisci AF1s since day one.
Some people like to keep their kicks looking box-fresh, but Cooper's pair have lived a life. The once-black leather has now transformed into a dark brown, the laces are frayed, and the rubber midsole has totally worn off in some parts. These sneakers are loved.
And that's nice to see. In a sneakerverse of constant churn and newness, nothing beats an old faithful.
This story originally appeared on British GQ with the title “Bradley Cooper airs out the archival Riccardo Tisci x Nike Air Force 1”
