The Second Wave of Patta x Nike Has Arrived

The second wave of Patta x Nike has arrived, but will it be as influential as the first? 

Since 2006 with their first collaboration with Nike on the Air Max 90, Amsterdam-based streetwear/sneaker boutique Patta has been at the forefront of popularising sneaker culture around the globe. 

Three years later, they went on to release their first collaboration on the Air Max 1 in 2009 with a 5-pair collection to mark the store's 5th anniversary which included some of the most iconic colourways the duo have created to date including the ‘Chlorophyll’ and ‘Purple Denim’. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that they returned to the OG Air Max silhouette. 

Patta x Nike Air Max 95/90, 2018

What made the return of the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 so special was the longevity the original collection had as well as the influence on the generation at the time they were released as well as generations after. Despite Patta working with Nike after the Air Max 1 on the 95/90 as well as the Air Span 2 in 2018, the return of the partnership in 2021 held a larger impact as it provided a brand new generation with the opportunity to experience and get their hands on what will hopefully become yet another timeless collection. 

While this time Patta weren’t celebrating an anniversary of their store, they instead told a more powerful story through the community they’d made through their brand. When reflecting on the journey they’d been on so far, in the description of their four-part film titled ‘The Wave’, Patta write:

“As a black-owned, independent business based in Amsterdam for over 17 years, Patta has not only developed a following for its influence in street- and sportswear, but in seizing an opportunity to create spaces and empower young people through the Patta Running Team.

Most recently, the Patta Foundation was founded to foster youth cultural education and aspiring entrepreneurs. It is through this spirit and union of purpose and product that the Patta x Nike relationship has evolved, and a new chapter is born”.

Named ‘The Wave’ after the reimagining of the mudguard around the AM1, the four-part film, directed by British filmmaker Mahaneela, focused on “freedom, creativity, and truth within the Patta community, as they ebb and flow through cultural landscapes of style, music, fashion, and sport” as referenced by Patta. 

Arriving in four separate colourways, ‘The Wave’ was a huge success from the initial ‘Monarch’ colourway through to the fourth ‘Black’ variant. Following the fourth release, it was unknown whether we’d see any further iterations despite a triple white 1 of 1 pair that many believed to be friends and family being worn by Patta co-founder, Edson Sabajo. 

That was, until earlier this year in May following an illusive image posted by the second co-founder of Patta, Gee Schmidt. 

While the second part of the collection isn’t accompanied by a short film or a bigger rollout, it still stands for something important: allowing the brand to explore providing opportunities to their community. Inspired by the African proverb “Each One Teach One”, a phrase that’s included on the shoebox and hangtag on the sneakers, Patta are continuing to ensure their projects are more than just another sneaker collection. 

In an Instagram post announcing ‘The Second Wave’, Patta confirmed that as part of the release, they’ll be working alongside Nike Shapa Soweto, a sports training camp based in South Africa run by Olympic medalists offering young people the chance to develop their skills.

Later in the post, Schmidt discusses the partnership, saying: 

“SHAPA serves as a safe space for the next generation of athletes and leaders. By bringing an exchange via the Patta Academy, we are thrilled to collaborate and connect with some of the brightest kids on the African continent through SHAPA”.

Thus far, we have seen the release of the ‘Dark Russet’ colourway which takes the usual makeup of the previous iterations of the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 silhouette but adds a burnt orange tone sitting atop a silver mesh and off-white midsole. 

While the initial pair haven’t been met with as bigger popularity as the original ‘Monarch’ released at the end of 2021, the next colourway set to release is due to be a big one, arriving in a clean triple white aesthetic similar to Sabajo’s 1 of 1 pair, Patta has stated that these will be the final release of the second selection of colourways. 

The question following the most recent rollout is, what’s next for Patta and Nike? Will we see a long hiatus as we did previously with Patta going on to collaborate with other brands on the market such as Mizuno who they recently worked with on their ‘Sky Medal’ silhouette, or will they be back sooner than we think seeing as the 35th anniversary of the Air Max 90 is under 3 years away? 

For the latest on Patta x Nike, keep it Kick Game.