It's all business in the front and a full-on party in the back for Nike Sportswear's latest take on the Air Force 1. Today, Nike unveils an amazing design for this vachetta tan and rose gold Air Force 1 High SL and, lucky for us, the folks at Swoosh broke down the ins and outs of it's creation.

Designed around the idea of versatility (think a shoe that fits an everyday aesthetic while still being fly enough to dress up), the Nike Sportswear team selected the iconic Air Force 1 to bring this reality to life.

“What if we took the AF1 and not necessarily create a new shoe, but can we look at every little detail on this shoe and make it as premium and luxury as possible?” explained designer Devon McKinney when telling the story behind the new Air Force 1 High SL.

Similar to the luxe Ultra Force AF1 Mid we saw last month, the luxury in the design comes to life in everything from the Italian vachetta tan leather to the 24K Rose Gold plated collar, removable lace tips, dubrae and tongue badge. The details speak for themselves as the NSW team made sure nothing went overlooked. “The overall thought was how do we obsess over every little detail. It began with craft. We wanted to look at things we maybe take for granted like the ends of the laces, the attention to detail in stitches and the way we treat edges.”

Attention to detail and, even more, a devotion to craft can be seen in the unique steering wheel-inspired stitching utilized throughout the upper, an idea that connected with McKinney thanks to inspiration found in the hand stitched steering wheels in luxury vehicles. The unique stitch comes to life along the Swoosh and updated premium leather strap.

In addition to design aesthetics, McKinney and team also wanted to innovate the FEEL of the Air Force 1 by making it unique to Nike and designed for comfort.

“To provide more comfort to your foot, we’ve decreased the foam package. Its tighter to your foot, it wears better and it doesn’t move, it’s a bit more fashion forward perhaps.” Additionally, you'll find a drop-in midsole which features sipings for flexibility plus, Lunarlon foam and Zoom Air cushioning in the heel to provide that extra air quality.

This particualar nod to the AF1 is one part of a larger NSW collection (information overload, right!?!) designed to honor over half a century of hoop style.

Starting on the court and transitioning to the streets, five iconic shoes represent five decades of Nike design innovation. Each of these shoes (The Blazer Studio Low, Air Force 1 High SL, Air Foamposite Pro, Air Zoom Generation, and Flight Bonafide) similar to the AF1 above, are premium stitched and crafted in rich vachetta leather.

The Air Force 1 High SL 1982 will retail for $275.00 and will be available on the Nike SNKRS app on 2/18 at 10:00 AM EST. To see more release details click below.

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