Jasmine Tang Although Nike’s flora-inspired collection has yet to be officially announced, new styles among the pack have been continuously blooming. The cork species has been getting the most attention in particular, most likely because materials from the very plant are applied to the silhouettes that bare its name. As for which models have been getting the botanical treatment, the Air Max 95 is already on its fourth cork-informed colorway as it adds a new “Cork/White/Wheat” arrangement.
The pair uses a color palette that’s very similar to that of the Air Max 95 “Wheat/Orange/White” offering that was revealed earlier this month. While Wheat dominates the previous pair, this new iteration opts for a paler approach with the mesh base and most overlays tinted White. The darker Wheat shade is only applied to the inside and the midsole’s Air unit. On the forefoot of the lateral side, an embroidered navy Swoosh is found—a color that has been featured on another plant-based AM 95. As seen throughout the collection, a cork plant is embroidered on the tongue, captioned with “Fig 5. Cork” in textbook fashion. Down the tongue, laces are secured by a strip of cork material, staying true to the design’s theme. Furthermore, the Mariah also bares a gritty look that results from a cork composition.
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