Nike Air Force 1 Sage

Air Force 1 Sage

The Nike Air Force 1 Sage is a female-specific design crafted by women. Its large wedge midsole immediately makes it stand out from the crowd, raising the wearer 35% higher than most other AF1s. Underneath, the outsole features the typical concentric circle tread the original was known for, but only has the wider grooves—the thinner ones have been filled in, giving it a chunkier feel.

The upper is stripped back, with the stitching around the toe box and between the overlays completely hidden. There are fewer segments too—one at the front combining the entire vamp, with another behind that stretches around the heel before extending up over the highest eyelet. The lowest sits at the top of the toe box, and there are just five in total on each side. Added to the fact there is no eyestay, this lends the Air Force 1 Sage an offbeat look.

The large toe box contains perforations separated into seven lines that fan out away from the laces. There is also a bow-shaped arrangement stitched between the perforations and the lace lock, which is a hollow rectangular tube with debossed AF1 lettering. Down the sides of the AF1 Sage, the classic Nike swoosh overlays the midfoot, its tail reaching back toward the heel panel in a straight line. Here, the broad heel patch loops over the collar and has a dual band of stitches along its bottom edge.

The Air Force 1 Sage comes with its own particular branding too—the heel and tongue patches have a Nike swoosh placed to the left of the AF-1 text, which includes a characteristic hyphen. This completes the pared-back look of the Sage; a model that uplifts the AF1 through a stylish design.