Nike x Air Afrique Launch the Air Max RK61
Nike with Air Afrique present the Air Max RK61 as a carrier of cultural memory. The collaboration reaches into history with precision and adapts it for the present moment. The name itself preserves identity, with “RK” standing for the airline code and “61” for the founding year.
The design speaks through detail. The moccasin-inspired upper offers refinement, an echo of elegance once associated with air travel. The Air Max unit references jet turbines, a reminder of the technology that defined connection across continents. Outsoles mark the word “Air Afrique” in morse code. Sock liners recall the fabric of cabin seats. Zipper pulls display the original logo. Each feature operates as a fragment of narrative, stitching together collective memory.
The campaign communicates with equal clarity. It includes Didier Drogba, Oumou Sangaré, Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith, and a former airline employee, each carrying their own connection to heritage and identity. Their presence makes the project more than product promotion. It becomes testimony.
The RK61 proposes a balance between dress shoe and sports sneaker. It delivers the comfort of Nike Air technology without abandoning formality. This dual quality strengthens the cultural significance of the design.
“Morse code spelling ‘Air Afrique’ on the outsole.”
“Design details nod to aviation history, including an Air Max unit inspired by a jet engine.”
October 9 will mark its release worldwide through SNKRS and selected partners. Beyond sales and visibility, the RK61 contributes to a larger cultural archive. It proves that footwear can serve as a vessel for dignity, history, and continuity.
In the campaign, there is an irony in the way they carry themselves in front of the camera, a presence that feels both deliberate and instinctive. It stretches the campaign beyond its surface, breaking the idea into something unexpected and far more real.
Air Afrique’s platform is a reminder of how culture continues to grow. It draws strength from history while speaking directly to the present, making heritage feel active and alive.
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