By Jay’Mi Vazquez
Managing Editor
Nike strikes again. The Nike Air Foamposite One “Galaxy,” originally released in 2012, remains one of the most iconic and influential sneakers in the history of sneaker culture; until Feb. 15.
These rare shoes are expected to be re-released to the public, completely diminishing the value and the unique stories pairs from 2012 have.
Beyond just being a flashy, attention-grabbing shoe, the Galaxy Foamposites embody the evolution of the early 2010’s sneaker culture, its intersection with fashion and the rise of limited-edition releases.
The importance of this sneaker cannot be overstated, as it helped redefine what it meant to be part of the sneakerhead community, while also pushing the boundaries of sneaker design.
The first thing that stands out about the Galaxy Foamposites is their bold, out-of-this-world design. The shoe’s eye-catching “Galaxy” print, which features swirling nebulae and starry motifs, was a massive departure from the usual design aesthetics of the time.
One of the key elements of the Galaxy Foamposites’ original releases importance was its release strategy.
Nike dropped the shoes in a limited run, making them highly exclusive and immediately elevating their status. At the time, Nike had been dabbling with the concept of “limited releases” to generate buzz, but the Galaxy Foamposites represented one of the first times a sneaker brand used scarcity so effectively.
With only a limited number available, the demand skyrocketed, creating an aura of exclusivity that intensified the sneakerhead frenzy.
The hype surrounding the release was unprecedented, with lines wrapping around stores, online orders crashing Nike’s website, police officers in riot gear, people trading astronomical things such as used cars for them and other crazy things.
In many ways, the Galaxy Foamposites were a precursor to the current state of sneaker culture, where scarcity and hype drive much of the demand for high-end sneakers. So why bring it back?
Nike is capitalizing on the hype these shoes have by brining them back. The only benefit to these re-releasing is that people who have dreamed of having them are now going to be able to snag a pair for significantly less prices than the original.
But will the quality, release and other aspects that made this shoe what it is in history be the same? Absolutely not.
The Galaxy Foamposites is a touchstone in sneaker history, representing the peak of an era where sneakers were not just functional, but cultural artifacts.
Bringing these back from the vault shows that Nike does not care about the culture built around sneakers, and rather just the dollar signs attached to the sales they are going to get from this release.
The original feeling and craze of this release can never be replicated, which makes this new release very underwhelming and probably going to be something that most new aged sneaker fanatics will never be able to understand.
