To highlight various HBCU alums, schools, and their culture/impact, Nike created the Yardrunner program in 2020. Since its inception, the program has given opportunities to multiple designers who cut their teeth at HBCUs to help create new sneaker designs and apparel that honor their alma matta. No official word has come from Nike regarding a 2024 collection of footwear. Still, Dex Robinson, an alum of Virginia Union University, founder of the streetwear brand Diallo, and someone who has helped create previous Yardrunners projects, has previewed a new Air Force 1 Low that honors the private HBCU.
Directly inspired by VUU’s Black Panther mascot, the sneaker comes blacked out in faux-fur materials across the upper. In an interview with WWD, Robinson stated that he chose this specific material not only to represent the panther in a literal sense but to exude a “sense of elevation and luxury.” This project is also a first for the school, as VUU’s athletic programs are sponsored by Under Armour, making this, hopefully, the first of many Nike collaborations in the future.
