Nike and animation studio LAIKA have an all-new sneaker collaboration in the works, inspired by Mr. Link, the protagonist of LAIKA's new film, "Missing Link."
The limited edition Air Max 1, dubbed the Missing Link x Nike Air Max Susan, was designed by Tinker Hatfield, and former animator Michael Berger. The design translates the materials and textures of Mr. Link's plaid suit, created by LAIKA costume designer Deborah Cook, to the iconic silhouette.
(Image Via Nike)
In the story, Mr. Link, a lovable creature, supports Sir Lionel Frost, the world's greatest monster chaser, on a globetrotting adventure to find a remnant of Mr. Link’s primitive ancestry.
"The Air Max 1 has always been a really uplifting, happy design. When I saw the film, I immediately felt Mr. Link was instantly lovable — he's happy-go-lucky, the type to stop and smell the flowers. So, he's got a certain chill that for me made sense with the silhouette," says Hatfield.
Nike and LAIKA studio have produced several exclusive sneaker collabs over the years, but the Missing Link x Nike Air Max Susan is the first to release commercially.
The sneakers, priced at $170, will be available on April 9, just a few days before Missing Link arrives in theaters on April 12.
(Image Via Nike)
(Image Via Nike)
(Image Via Nike)
(Image Via Nike)
(Image Via Nike)