Here’s What We Know About Nike Reducing Air Force 1 Production
Late last week, posted their for Q3, stating that their revenue had grown above expectations. That’s not all that was said during their recent earnings call though, as CFO Matt Friend also stated that the Beaverton brand is set to produce less in order to protect the cultural cache of the iconic sneaker and allow space for new designs to shine.
Originally reported by Friend had stated on the brand’s Q3 earnings call, ‘We’re managing some of our largest lifestyle franchises and some of our performance franchises back to make space for the newness’. This statement included the Air Force 1 as one of the models that will have production reduced. This strategy had also been mentioned in Team Swoosh’s earnings call back in December 2023.
Friend also admitted that ‘We’ve been missing some product newness at scale in our portfolio over the last several seasons’. Nike's classic catalogue, including models like the Air Force 1, brings in millions each year; however, the brand is meant to be known for their innovation. There’s been plenty of criticism thrown at Team Swoosh in recent years for their reliance on retro models and a lack of innovative new product. Friend did mention that the Swoosh consumer has been responding well to their newer designs, which has helped in the decision to pull back on production.
It was also said that the production decrease will most likely happen on Nike’s DTC business side and was not made because of a decrease in popularity or demand. ‘We could sell more of these products if we wanted to, but we don’t think that’s the right thing to do from a brand point of view,’ said Friend. ‘And we know that we manage these franchises for long-term health.’
Nike’s perennial Air Force 1 touched down in 1982 and has always been a core part of the Team Swoosh catalogue ever since. Nike aren't going to eradicate one of their premiership models completely, but time will tell what reduced production will look like.