Devin Booker‘s first signature shoe was an exercise in nostalgia, with the silhouette modeled after three Nike classics and numerous colorways paying homage to other famous sneakers over the past year and a half. And with his second model now officially revealed, Booker is giving no less love to the old school.
The Nike Book 2 draws its aesthetic from three primary sources: skateboarding, vintage cars and classic Nike sneakers. It also maintains much of the simplistic DNA of the Book 1, which was rooted in the Nike Blazer, Air Force 1 and Air Jordan 1, while packing modern tech in the form of a Cushlon 3.0 midsole with a forefoot Air Zoom unit and plush sock liner.
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“A big thing for me was feeling the court and being a bit lower to the ground,” Booker said in the press release. “A lot of inspiration came from classic shoes. One that comes to mind for me is the Air Zoom Spiridon. With the early styles, I wanted to pay homage to Phoenix by starting with orange and black for the Phoenix and Rising colorways, giving fans something to rock at each game.”
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Debt to the Spiridon can be seen best in colorways featuring a lightweight and webbed mesh upper that have yet to be revealed. Others, including the two shown in the reveal, have a molded upper that highlights its containment bands.
The Book 2’s outsole takes after the Air Force 1 with a sun-like pattern nodding to Booker’s Phoenix Suns. Ties to the team are also readily apparent in the use of orange on the two colorways revealed. The black variant features a gradient Swoosh and a midsole pattern that looks as if it’s been left baking in the sun, while its more colorful peer makes use of shades of orange throughout, including a gradient upper and a flaming Swoosh.
“For the Book 1, we were inspired by classic cars, where the engine is supercharged and tuned up but the outside looks classic,” said Ben Nethongkome, lead designer for the Book 1 and Book 2. “That approach cascaded to the Book 2, cloaking the innovation underneath. We lowered the profile of the shoe for enhanced court feel, and because we removed materials to get lower to the ground, we were able to move the Air Zoom unit from the heel to the forefoot — achieving Devin’s desired feel and performance at a lighter weight.”
The Nike Book 2 will release in January through Nike’s website and select third-party retailers. Pricing is set at $145.
