Brief History of the Sacai Nike Collab
Launched in 1999 by Chitose Abe as a small line of womenswear, cult-favorite Japanese luxury label Sacai has evolved into one of the most innovative brands in both streetwear and high fashion. Abe, a fashion veteran, honed her skills as a pattern cutter at Rei Kawakubo’s Commes des Garçons, and later as a member of Junya Watanabe’s design team. Her technical acumen and distinctive “hybridized” design aesthetic have since propelled Abe to worldwide renown.
While the Sacai Nike collab took the sneaker scene by storm in 2019, the partnership actually dates back to 2015. In the spring of that year, Sacai and NikeLab unveiled a capsule collection of women’s sportswear, including a two-toned laceless Air Max 90. However, the Nike Sacai collaboration remained relatively under-the-radar among sneakerheads until June of 2018, when Abe debuted Sacai’s Nike Blazer and Nike LD Waffle collabs on the Spring/Summer 2019 runway in Paris. In May of 2019, the first Sacai Nike Waffle and Nike Blazer colorways dropped, with more iterations following in the fall. Today, sneakerheads and fashion lovers alike can’t get enough of the unique Nike Sacai sneakers, which fuse and reconstruct heritage Nike silhouettes through Abe’s distinctive, doubled-up design language.
Read on to discover our favorite Sacai Nike collab sneakers to cop now, available at our online marketplace.
The Best Nike Sacai Collab Sneakers to Buy Now
For the Sacai Nike Waffle, Abe fused two iconic Nike shoes – the Nike LDV and Nike Waffle Racer – to create a sneaker twice as distinctive. The hybrid design doubles up on Swooshes, tongues, overlays and laces, and features a striking stacked sole. These black Nike Sacai Waffles, which made their debut at Sacai’s Fall/Winter 2019 presentation at Paris Fashion Week, offer a sophisticated take on the bold silhouette. Staying true to Abe’s vision of creating unique and timeless fashion, the understated colorway features a sleek black mesh upper with suede and leather accents in shades of Anthracite and white.
Presented alongside the Black/Anthracite Sacai Waffle, the collab’s Nike LD Waffle in Summit White also dropped in September of 2019. Like the black iteration, these Nike Sacai Waffles combine design elements from the Nike LDV and Nike Waffle Racer, and feature a tonal take on the same doubled-up detailing. Uppers in breathable Summit White mesh, embellished with Wolf Gray and white leather accents, sit atop the dual sculpted foam midsole and rubber waffle outsole. A stacked Nike Sacai logo on the heel tab of the Sacai Nike LD Waffle finishes the look.
Dubbed “Blazer with the Dunk,” the Nike Sacai Blazer combines features of the Nike Dunk High and Nike Blazer Mid. The coveted silhouette previewed at Sacai’s Spring/Summer 2019 runway show in Paris, with this black and gray version releasing in October of 2019. Like the Sacai Nike Waffle, Abe’s take on the Blazer has us seeing double with stacked Swooshes, tongues, laces and overlays. The sneaker’s black upper is accented with gray and white details, and exaggerated layering on the heel adds a unique finishing touch to the Nike Sacai Blazer.
Two years after debuting her first iconic Blazer collab, Abe returned to the classic silhouette, this time reimagining the Nike Blazer Low. Released in June of 2021, this sunny colorway of the Nike Sacai Blazer Low features a leather upper with exposed foam liners, as well as Sacai’s signature stacked tongues and double lacing. The orange Blazers are accented with bold detailing in yellow and Magma Orange, inspired by original Blazers colorways.
Also released in June of 2021, these green Blazers offer another distinctive take on the Nike Blazer Low. This Nike Sacai Blazer Low colorway contrasts a neutral base of gray leather and white textured rubber with pops of color. Double stacked green and white Swooshes, layered green and blue lace guards, and double exposed foam tongues in white and blue highlight Abe’s eye-catchingly layered aesthetic.
For this Nike Sacai Waffle release from October of 2021, the design partners joined forces with pioneering Japanese streetwear label Undercover to take the Nike LD Waffle Racer to the next level. Undercover designer Jun Takahashi applies his striking vision to Abe’s hybrid of the Nike Waffle Racer and LDV, exploring new colors and materials. Overlays in gray and off-white suede and black and red leather pop against the nylon base in Midnight Spruce. A stacked Nike Sacai logo hits the heel, while the secondary tongue features discreet Undercover branding. The Sacai Waffle’s signature stacked sole units, in off-white foam atop red waffle-traction rubber, complete the look.
