Nike Air Max 720 Pop-Up Shop to Open in Melbourne’s Chinatown
The Nike Air Max 720 is a new-age hybrid lifestyle-performance design inspired by the complexities of living life in the urban jungle. With hints of DNA spliced from Nike’s extensive Air Max catalogue, the 720 is nevertheless unlike anything ever seen before. The jacked-up stance and mind-bending upper construction, along with the biggest air bags ever made, exemplify the inventive curiosity of Nike designers.
As Nike’s senior creative director Dylan Raasch explained in a recent Sneaker Freaker interview, ‘The Air Max 720 is Nike’s tallest Air unit, coming in at 38mm, which helps to provide the ultimate cushioning and impact protection. The full-length Airbag ‘ring’ then provides a wide base of support that extends into the forefoot to help with transition and stability.’ As evidenced by this exclusive Chinatown photoshoot, the single-piece textile upper exhibits colour in a unique fashion. With optional tonal fades and curvaceous contours, the 720 is still certifiably Air Max, just not as we know it.
To celebrate the new silo, lovers of Air can get their hands on an exclusive series of Air Max 720s at Nike’s latest pop-up in Melbourne’s Chinatown.
Great cities are celebrated for fascinating discoveries hiding around every corner, and Melbourne is no exception. With a population fast approaching five million, the Central Business District — aka the CBD — is a cultural melting pot packed with distinctive panache. Meandering laneways and hidden spots are quintessential Melbourne features. Another significant feature is Melbourne’s sneakerhead community — boasting some of the most devoted in the country.
Nestled in the very heart of the city, Chinatown has played an intrinsic role in building Melbourne’s immigrant spirit. Over the years, Little Bourke Street has evolved to become a bustling spine of activity, packed with character — and characters! The beloved Gift City souvenir store is about to be transformed into a Nike pop-up that will officially launch an exclusive series of Air Max 720s. A shrine to all things Air, sneaker lovers will be treated to a big-bubble refit, including a product showcase and an exclusive Nike members-only Air Max 720 release. This is a dream event for any Air Max aficionado. Click here to register.
The pop-up will be hosted by Winny, the owner of Gift City for the best part of 15 years. Accompanied by her four-legged friend Fidget, Winny is the familiar face behind the front counter of the store, and an embodiment of the cultural DNA that inspired the Air Max 720 design.
‘I’ve been working at Gift City from 10am to 10pm every day since 2004,’ says Winny, who migrated from China in 1990. ‘Before I came here, I knew Melbourne was going to provide me with a good life. It looked safe, the water was clean and the city was full of culture. And you get all kinds of people. That’s why I love Melbourne!’
The cultural importance of Chinatown within Melbourne is not to be understated, and there are few with a better understanding than Winny.
‘Chinatowns are where you go for food and fun in any country. People come here to experience our culture, so I’m very excited that Nike has chosen my store for this pop-up. No matter where you go and where you are from, people everywhere love Nike!'
The Air Max 720 ‘Gift City’ pop-up will open on February 21 at 198 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.
