Sneaker culture moves fast. Too fast, honestly. One week everyone is losing their minds over a neon runner, and the next, it’s buried in a digital graveyard of forgotten hype. But the CDG Air Force 1—specifically the various iterations born from the partnership between Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons and Nike—is different. It’s weird. It’s often polarizing. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but here we are, years into the collaboration, and people still treat these drops like sacred relics.
Most sneaker collabs are lazy. You know the drill: change a colorway, slap a rapper's name on the heel, and call it a "revolution." Kawakubo doesn't do that. When she touches the Air Force 1, she treats the leather like a piece of raw architectural material. She cuts it. She adds eyes to it. She staples emojis onto it. It’s high fashion crashing head-first into a 1982 basketball shoe, and the result is usually something that looks better the more you wear it.
What Actually Makes a CDG Air Force 1 Special?
If you're looking for a shoe that shouts, this isn't always it. Well, unless you’re talking about the dinosaur-moulded ones from 2016. But generally, the CDG Air Force 1 appeals to the person who wants you to look twice. It’s about the nuance of the silhouette.
Take the 2020 Mid-cut release. They looked unfinished. The edges were raw, the leather overshot the stitching, and it looked like someone had been interrupted while making the shoe. This "deconstructed" aesthetic is a CDG hallmark. While other brands try to make things look perfect, Kawakubo finds beauty in the "broken." That specific release used premium leather that felt leagues ahead of the standard GR (General Release) pairs you find at the mall. It wasn't just about the name; it was about the tactile experience of the material.
There’s a common misconception that all CDG Nikes are the same as the "Play" line—the one with the heart and eyes logo. It's not. The Play line is the entry-level, accessible stuff. The "real" CDG Air Force 1 collaborations usually come through the main Comme des Garçons line or CDG Homme Plus. These are the runway pieces. They are more expensive, much harder to find, and significantly more experimental. If you see the heart logo on an AF1, you’re likely looking at a custom or a very specific, rare boutique version, because the main collaborations usually skip the "cute" factor in favor of "avant-garde."
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The Emoji Pair and the Turning Point
Back in 2017, we saw the Comme des Garçons x Nike Air Force 1 "Emoji." It was a Low-top silhouette in the classic white-on-white and black-on-black. But across the forefoot sat a literal band of leather featuring the heart-and-eyes logo.
People hated it. Then they loved it.
It was a strange moment for the sneaker community. It proved that the CDG Air Force 1 could bridge the gap between "mall-core" and "Paris Fashion Week." It was a gateway drug. Suddenly, kids who only cared about Jordans were looking up who Rei Kawakubo was. They were learning about Japanese minimalism. That’s the power of this specific partnership; it’s an education disguised as a hype drop.
The Architecture of the 2020 "Raw Edge"
Let’s talk about the 2020 Mids again because they represent the peak of this design philosophy. Usually, an Air Force 1 is defined by its clean, piped edges. Kawakubo decided to leave the leather panels overflowing. It created a 3D effect. In a world of flat, digital-first designs, these shoes had actual texture.
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They came in two colorways: Black and White. Simple. But the way the light hit the "excess" leather made them look like a moving sculpture. If you’ve ever held a pair, you know. The weight is different. The leather is thicker. It’s the kind of shoe that looks "off" in photos but makes complete sense when you pair it with oversized wool trousers or a heavy overcoat. It’s not a "gym shoe" anymore. It’s a piece of footwear that demands you dress better.
Why the Resale Market is Obsessed
Honestly, the prices are annoying. You can’t just walk into a shop and grab a CDG Air Force 1 for retail anymore. On sites like StockX or GOAT, you're looking at a significant markup. Why? Because Nike and CDG don't overproduce. They aren't interested in flooding the market.
They understand the "Law of Scarcity," but it feels less cynical than other brands. When you buy a pair of these, you’re buying a specific moment in fashion history. These aren't just shoes; they are artifacts of a specific runway season. Because they use higher-quality materials, they also age better. A beat-up pair of CDG AF1s often looks more "fashion" than a crisp, deadstock pair. The creases add character to the raw edges.
The Supreme Triangle
We can't talk about this shoe without mentioning the three-way collaboration with Supreme. The CDG Air Force 1 x Supreme "Eyes" and "Split Swoosh" versions are legendary. The Split Swoosh, in particular, was a stroke of genius. It literally cut the Nike logo in half and shifted it.
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It was jarring. It looked like a glitch in the Matrix.
This specific drop in 2018 cemented the shoe's status in the "grail" category. It took the most famous logo in the world and broke it. That takes guts. Most brands are terrified of messing with the Swoosh. Nike gave CDG and Supreme the keys to the castle, and they decided to spray paint the walls. It’s this irreverence that keeps the CDG Air Force 1 relevant while other collabs fade into obscurity.
How to Spot the Fakes (Because They Are Everywhere)
If you're buying a CDG Air Force 1 today, you have to be careful. The "Raw Edge" Mids are heavily faked. Because the design is "intentionally messy," bad manufacturers think they can hide their mistakes.
- Check the Leather Density: Authentic pairs use a very specific, heavy-grain leather. If it feels like plastic or "vegan leather," it’s a fake.
- The "Hang": On the raw edge pairs, the excess leather should have a certain stiffness. Fakes often have floppy, thin leather that wilts after one wear.
- The Box: CDG Nike boxes are notoriously simple but sturdy. Check the font spacing on the label.
- The Smell: Real Nike x CDG pairs have a distinct "expensive" leather smell, not the chemical, glue-heavy scent of a factory knock-off.
Actionable Tips for Styling and Care
Owning a pair of CDG Air Force 1 sneakers requires a bit of a mindset shift. You don't treat these like your beaters.
- Don't over-clean the raw edges. If you have the deconstructed versions, the fraying is part of the look. If you try to trim the loose threads or scrub them too hard, you lose the "runway" aesthetic.
- Balance the proportions. Since these shoes (especially the Mids and the platforms) have more "visual weight," they look best with wider-cut pants. Skinny jeans with a CDG AF1 usually look unbalanced—like you're wearing clown shoes. Think baggy cords, cargo pants, or cropped trousers.
- Invest in cedar shoe trees. Because the leather is higher quality, it will hold moisture. Use cedar trees to keep the shape and absorb sweat, which prevents the leather from cracking prematurely.
- Rotation is key. Don't wear them three days in a row. The premium leather needs time to "rest" and contract.
The CDG Air Force 1 isn't just a sneaker. It's a testament to the idea that even the most basic items in our wardrobe can be transformed into something extraordinary through the lens of a visionary like Rei Kawakubo. Whether you love the "broken" look or the high-fashion emojis, there is no denying that this collaboration changed the way we look at the humble white sneaker. It’s art you can wear on the subway. And that’s pretty cool.
To keep your pair in top condition, focus on leather conditioning rather than just surface cleaning. Use a high-quality neutral cream once every few months to maintain the suppleness of the hide, especially on those exposed raw edges that are prone to drying out. Store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent the white leather from yellowing unevenly. If you’re still hunting for a pair, prioritize reputable secondary markets that offer physical authentication services, as the nuances of these specific collaborations are notoriously difficult to verify through photos alone.