Nike’s New Air Max Plus Collaboration Is a Celebration of African Culture

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission. With March's Air Max Day in the rearview, one might assume that Nike's projects with the likes of Hiroshi Fujiwara's Fragment Design and the University of Oregon's Ducks of a Feather would go down as the Air Max franchise's most coveted collaborations of 2026. However, the Beaverton, Ore.-based sportswear company has another drop on the way which may very well outclass each of the pairs we've already seen. For its first collaboration with Lagos, Nigeria-based music festival and fashion label Homecoming, Nike handed the keys to the brand's founder, Grace Ladoja, who makes history as the first African woman to design her own shoe for the sportswear giant. Ladoja's collaboration is rooted in her West African upbringing and comes in two colorways: a black Pan African flag-inspired look and an orange "African Sunrise" makeup.  More than just meaningful color combinations, the Homecoming x Nike Air Max Plus sneakers are decked out in numerous details that connect back to Ladoja's experience. Rather than the typical mesh found on the model, the Homecoming collaboration features a custom tight mesh build that's inspired by African

Follow Footwear News on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook .