Designer textile studio Maharam have once again collaborated with Nike for another innovative release, this time utilizing silky horsehair textiles. Made with the premise of turning athletic footwear into luxury business and evening attire the pack includes a pair of Blazers and an Oregon Waffle, each featuring a distinct fabric weave plus leather tongue tags. You can saddle up and slip into these black beauties from selected outlets on December 19th.
To create the look of the footwear, Maharam used vintage looms and techniques to produce classic weaves – a basket, check and striae, by turns textured, tonal and variegated. Intentionally devoid of pattern, the simplicity of weave reveals material opulence. Calfskin accents and waxed cotton laces heighten the effect. A restrained palette of black brings the interplay of matte and sheen surfaces to the fore. Horsehair is painlessly clipped from the horse’s tail, which re-grows. At once natural and industrial, the Nike x Maharam collection signifies both companies’ synthesis of tradition, innovation, and commitment to finding new ways to bring sustainability to design. Additionally, Maharam Horsehair Striae will be included in the 2010 Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Triennial.

