Emotionally Unavailable was a lighthearted partnership founded by Edison Chen and KB Lee in 2014. Now, it’s maturing into a fully fledged collection. “We have a fan base that pushed us toward being more serious about the brand. Now we’re 1,000 percent serious, and our partnership with Nike on this Air Force 1 is testament to us putting the brand to the forefront,” says Chen.
The silhouette and material (canvas to nod to the Nike Vandal, which Lee recalls first thinking was an AF1) represent the designers’ roots and relationship with Nike. “Growing up in Korea, the canvas Air Force One is a universal shoe. Hip-hop heads wore it. Skaters wore it. It covered multiple subcultures,” says Lee. “It also just looks cool because it wears down so well.”
The Nike Air Force 1 x Emotionally Unavailable releases March 14.
