Nike’s Bespoke Reissue of Its Samba-Alternative Shoe Scores Major Points

Have you ever heard of Nike Atelier? Don’t fret, if not.

Launched in June of this year, it’s the Swoosh’s brand-spanking-new premium, bespoke creative division. It’s so sneaky-exclusive that it doesn’t even have its own website.

However, it already has more than one collection under its belt, having just announced the Nike Atelier Total 90 Capsule with a little help from NBA superstar Victor “Wemby” Wembanyama.

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Clean kicks

It’s interesting that Nike Atelier chose Wemby as its celebrity spokesperson for this launch, as he plays basketball, and the shoe that anchors the collection is decidedly not a basketball shoe. Rather, it’s a reinterpretation of the Total 90 Laser III.

For reference, the Total 90 is a soccer shoe. In fact, it could be called the closest thing Nike has to an Adidas Samba alternative, both in terms of its styling and its evolution.

Interestingly, the version in this capsule moves it both closer to its origins and further away. Allow me to explain:

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The overall silhouette is refined and elevated, crafted entirely from premium white leather (some of which has a reptilian texture), making this an unquestionable lifestyle shoe (as opposed to a genuine soccer cleat).

However, it also gains a fold-over tongue, which is common with soccer cleats. As refined and premium as the stylistic redux is, this addition is unmistakably football-inspired. Per the brand, this shoe “distills one of Nike Football’s most iconic silhouettes into its purest form.”

See? It’s equal parts heritage and contemporary — quite a paradoxical bit of footwear.

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Swoosh swish

These reimagined Total 90 shoes are only half of the capsule. For some, the other might be even more interesting and exciting.

Joining the sneaker is a highly unique Nike Atelier LenoWoven jacket. Per the brand, it’s entirely bespoke and “crafted from a cotton yarn adaptation of material technology originally developed for Nike Football boots.”

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The brand explains that it “reinterprets performance innovation through an elevated lens.” What that means in practice remains to be seen, but the jacket does have a woven structure, suggesting it is as breathable as it is stylish. It’s also reasonable to assume it’s durable and tough.

Both the jacket and sneakers will likely be difficult to get. In fact, the brand has already made its exclusivity clear in its available retailers: Nike Atelier Total 90 [will be] available […] at The Broken Arm (Paris), Dover Street Market (Paris), Nike Soho, Nike HOI (NYC), and SNKRS (North America).”

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Availability and pricing

The Nike Atelier Total 90 Capsule will be available to preorder starting July 20 at select retailers, including Nike’s SNKRS platform.

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