Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
If you’re not familiar with Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou, you might want to get familiar. The King of Mandopop is a singer, songwriter, actor, businessman, and all-around icon with over 10 million followers on Instagram. Chou is also the founder of the fashion brand PHANTACi, and he’s helping Nike with its Air Max 95 anniversary celebration.
The latest collaboration to celebrate the 30th birthday of the AM 95, the PHANTACi x Nike Air Max 95 turns the Sergio Lozano-designed shoe into an instrument, taking Chou’s musical legacy and converting it into shoe form. The upper of the shoe is covered in varying shades of wood grain paneling, with brown mesh above the side panels, and deep brown leather on the lace protection panels. The side panels also feature a series of strings stretching from the midsole to the lace loops, creating a guitar string effect. To add more musicality, each pair comes with a custom guitar pick ornament on a keychain.
PHANTACi x Nike Air Max 95
We first saw previews of the PHANTACi x Nike Air Max 95 a month ago on Chou’s Instagram, with close-up pictures of two AM 95 tongues featuring Chou’s name, a look at the guitar pick charm, and the PHANTACi logo on the sole. The production pair traded the name-branded tongue logos for wood-grain Air Max logos, but the guitar pick and sole logo are still there. Chou and PHANTACi have collaborated with Nike before, releasing an ultra-limited Air Max 1 based on a grand piano in 2009 and retroing the colorway in 2024. The music and Air Max theme continues here, so we have to wonder if more instrument-influenced models might pop up in the future.
The PHANTACi x Nike Air Max 95 will be released Holiday 2025 through Nike and select retailers in-store and online. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is still TBD. To be the first to know the exact drop date, download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
