Nike's "Day of the Dead" Pack Celebrates One of Mexico's Most Well-Known Traditions

Mexico’s “Day Of The Dead” is chock-full of unique lore and striking iconography, so Nike Sportswear has readied a three-shoe pack consisting of a Cortez, an Air Max 95 and an Air Force 1 Low ahead of this year’s festivities. Each shoe has surfaced individually over the past weeks, but now all three have been brought together and their rich stories have been revealed.

Leading off is the Nike Cortez “El Altar.” With details that incorporate the four natural elements — air, earth, wind, and fire — the “El Altar” nods to graphics found on traditional altars, also known as ofrendas. A confetti print acknowledges air, candle graphics light the afterlife’s path with their flame, a ceramic dish full of food signifies earth and further embellishments nod to water. A black and orange color scheme/reflective print on the Swoosh ties everything together.

Next up is the Air Max 95 “La Catrina.” A female skeleton figure that represents a happy afterlife, La Catrina translates perfectly to the Air Max 95’s human anatomy-inspired design lines, with different pieces of the shoe representing muscle fibers, the spine and the ribs. Some parts also offer a high-vis reflective print. The black and grey base is then broken up by cool jade accents on the outsole/tongue and clear Air Max units.

Tying things together is the Air Force 1 Low “La Calaca.” Offering a reflective sugar skull pattern on its mudguard, midfoot and heel, the design is inspired by another key piece of commemorative altars. The white base represents the sugar that the skulls are constructed from, with the colored piping nodding to the colorful accouterments they’re often accompanied by.

All three pairs will debut on Nike.com October 25, exclusively in the US and Mexico.

In other Nike news, the brand just dropped a brand-new silhouette dubbed the Xarr Boot that’s perfect for winter weather.