Travis Scott’s next Nike collab is going to be polarizing

Travis Scott and Nike are turning their attention to the Air Max 270 React for their next collaboration. For the first time, the two are working on a contemporary silhouette instead of a retro. You could be fooled into thinking otherwise, however, as the sneaker has been designed to look thoroughly weathered.

Looking closer — What draws the eye most is the midsole, which looks like it’s been yellowed and cracked naturally over time. The effect is so strong that you could almost forget about the giant Air Max bubble at the heel, which has also been intentionally yellowed. Up top, a primarily off-white construction is hit with dashes of natural tones to match, with light and dark brown shades and a green that looks like oxidized copper. The wavy overlays are also new, helping Travis’ version stick out from the general releases.

Initial reactions to the collab have been full of derision — just look at the replies to this video — but I might just be crazy enough to say these are actually good.

I love how it looks like a relic and doesn’t go the usual route of adding fake scuffs. I’ve also never been a fan of the clunky Air Max bubble, so I appreciate it being downplayed. And before you accuse me of stanning Travis Scott, let me say that his most recent Air Force 1 was an incoherent mess of patterns.

When is it dropping? — The Air Max 270 React is slated to release some time in March for $190. Despite the detractors, it will still absolutely sell out immediately. Stay on alert and hope the gods of the SNKRS app choose you.