Earlier this month, Nike announced what we thought would be their sole Día de Muertos sneaker for 2019: a Nike Cortez with subtle orange detailing that made it reusable year-round. However, it turns out the sneaker will live in a family pack of soles dedicated to the Latin American holiday. Two other popular silhouettes, the Air Max 95 and Air Force 1, will join the ’72 classic in what the sportswear company is calling the Day of the Dead pack.
Continuing to prioritize subtle symbolism, the sneakers are simple in their design, perhaps aiming to appeal to those outside of the Latin American and Latinx communities as well. The official names in the pack of three are Nike Cortez El Altar, Nike Air Force 1 La Calaca and Nike Air Max 95 La Catrina.
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As the names imply, La Catrina celebrates the brightly decorated dapper skeleton with touches of pink, purple and yellow, while La Calaca references the skull that lives on most Day of the Dead altars and El Altar highlights a few of the offerings found on the altars.
In the past, Nike has celebrated, and looked to, anything and everything for inspiration. From Chinese New Year to Christmas, you can always rely on these folks to try and excite or connect with sneakerheads. Whether or not they always get it right is another conversation.
The Day of the Dead pack will be available in Mexico and the United States starting October 25.