Nike has announced plans to release a silver Air Max 97 LX silhouette for women, a shoe elevated through the gleam of Swarovski crystals.
The silver shoe follows a head-turning black version of the Swarovski Air Max 97 LX released in the spring featuring a fabric containing tiny, densely clustered cut and uncut crystals, an elevation of a shoe whose original silver model was beloved in part for its sheen. The black shoe marked the first time Nike has used Swarovski crystal within a design.
Marie Crow, Nike’s material design director for NikeWomen sportswear commented on the process on creating the new fabric. “This was such an exciting project in terms of material innovation,” said Crow. “We were looking to explore shine and durability in a new and innovative way, and we loved the juxtaposition of the crystal fabric’s tough sparkle to reinvent an already iconic shoe.”
The silver Air Max 97 LX Swarovski is available globally in women’s sizing, starting September 7, 2017 at select retailers. The black version of this shoe was priced at $400 so one can safely conclude this one is too.
![Actress #ViolaDavis' cover for #VanityFair is winning praise, especially in light of gymnast #SimoneBiles' #AnnieLeibowitz-shot #Vogue cover, which has been widely panned.
Turns out, Davis was shot by #DarioCalmese (portrait on the slide by #TeronBeal), the first black photographer to shoot a cover for VF, which was first published from 1913 to 1936 and then revived in 1983.
Until two weeks ago, according to the @nytimes, Calmese didn't know if he was the first Black photographer to shoot the cover but he had a hunch so he reached out to magazine editors.
In the magazine's July-August letter, editor-in-chief #RadhikaJones wrote, "To the best of our knowledge, it is the first Vanity Fair cover made by a Black photographer.”
At the same time, in the 35 yeas before Jones was named editor, VF had published just 17 covers solo covers featuring Black people. Since become EIC two-and-a-half years ago, Jones has published eight covers featuring Black people including two featuring interracial married couples.
According to Calmese, the cover poses was inspired by an 1863 McPherson & Oliver photograph (on the slide but be warned it's disturbing) of Gordon, an enslaved man whose back is filled with scars from being whipped.
Commenting on the choice, Calmese explained, "When you look at it, it is gruesome and harsh, but he pushes back more toward the camera. His hand is at his waist, you know that line, with his profile going down the arm and coming back. And so I was like: I can recreate this."
Well aware of the importance of the cover, Calmese said, "I did know that this was a moment to say something. I knew this was a moment to be, like, extra Black."
According to the NY Times, "For [Jones], the image represented the strength it takes to tell your own story, she said. For [Calmese], it is about rewriting an old story.](https://snobette.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
