Sneakersnstuff Presents

La Galère "The Struggle"

Just in time for the sunny season, Nike returns the unsung Air Max Tailwind IV hero, a staple sneaker first released in 1999. When it comes to the iconic visible Air cushioning, other sneakers will be named first, but the Millennial sneaker is an offspring of a long line of legendary Tailwind sneaker, which was first introduced in 1979 with the original Nike Air Tailwind 79. Later, in 1992, 1996 and 1997 the Nike Air Max Tailwind 92, Nike Air Max Tailwind 96 and Nike Air Max Tailwind II dropped, paving the way for what might be the strongest one of the series. The easy to wear silhouette resorbed the bold design of the earlier models, lifting it to new heights with a lightweight material of mesh and leather paired with full-length Air cushioning. The trailblazing sneaker conquered the inner-cities all around the world, but with a menacing look, the Nike Air Max Tailwind IV became a well-loved legend in the street, from OGs to the youth, a true representative of the culture.

Leading up to the re-release we took it to Paris, in which we portrait six talents that embed it, a hustler’s philosophy when the struggle is of daily presence. The international phenomenon of creatives struggling wherever you look (especially where the rents are skyrocketing), New York, London, Berlin, LA or precisely Paris, is a familiar sight, however, when most passionate people reflect, it’s less about the fact of missing payments, it’s the opposite, to be free and full of personal accomplishment. The journey becomes the goal, detached from any kind of affiliation, each one for themselves, craving raw emotion and ignoring the buzzing surroundings. Of course, the truth lays somewhere in the middle, balancing each-one-teach-one, and the personal hustle to fill your pockets and seek attention; built, reflect, recover and reinvent. Wearing a two-decade-old sneaker that is as playful visually and rugged at the same time, matching so pefectly the spirit of our protagonists, Anaat, Sofiane (with Jovana Matic), Cokson, Ebrahim, Thakone and Nordine give us a peek into their world, apart from the fast-paced Paris glamour, off-staccato slowing us down to capture their moment.

The Nike Air Max Tailwind IV will be available 25th of April online and in-store. Sign up for the Raffle here.

All images by Sophie Hemels Video by Joppe Rog