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
Paris Fashion Week is here, and New York fashion label Vaquera NYC wasted no time bringing out the week’s first sneaker collab. In a runway show that featured snakeskin looks, graphic-heavy designs, and a CDG collab perfume, the sneakerhead standout was a new Nike Air Max DN8 with clear references to one of Paris’ most famed collabs.
The Vaquera NYC x Nike Air Max DN8 is a white sneaker covered in all-over print lipstick kisses in bright red, like the collar of a classic white button-up shirt tainted by an after-work affair. The shoe features patent leather across the upper for a bit of extra sheen, with clear Dynamic Air units underfoot. Vaquera branding is front and center on the tongue in black script, with Air Max written beneath it.
Vaquera x Nike Air Max DN8
If you remember sneaker collabs from the mid-2000s, then you’ll know the Paris debut was extremely fitting for the Vaquera DN8. A clear reference to the Colette x Married to the Mob x Reebok Freestyle from 2008, that triple collab featured a women’s exclusive high-top Reebok with a white base and red lipstick kisses covering the upper. Colette, the legendary Paris sneaker boutique, served as a gallery for the upper echelon of sneakers and streetwear until its closure in 2017. This year, Colette has been reopened in Paris for a one-week-only redux as part of a Virgil Abloh career retrospective.
The Vaquera NYC x Nike Air Max DN8 will be released Holiday 2025 through Nike and select retailers in-store and online. Available in women’s sizing, the retail price is set at $220. To make sure you’re always up on the latest Nike collabs, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
