Back in 2017 (when ‘Despacito’ was the national ear worm and Brexit was still an abstract concept), Givenchy’s then-creative director Riccardo Tisci teamed up with Nike for the Riccardo Tisci x Nike Air Force 1 High ‘Black.’ It was, without question, one of the biggest drops of that year. Sneakerheads lose it. And by the looks of things, Bradley Cooper did too.
Originally released in October 2017, this Air Force 1 was inspired by basketball – specifically 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.” (a detail that’s also signature to Tisci). All of this sat on top of an Air-infused midsole, and it dropped alongside a varsity jacket, a jersey, and a pair of track pants. Why? Because basketball, that’s why.
Ignat/Bauer-Griffin
At this point, we all know that Cooper is something of a drip king. He loves baseball caps. He loves Moncler jackets. And he loves the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High. While some Very Famous People get into the highly-addictive world of trainers 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.
