Ah the famed TN, there probably isn’t a sneaker that’s divided society quite like it. Worn by the brave at heart and Macca’s car park faithfuls, it’s a kick that has permeated wider culture as much as it has the realm of sneakerheads and streetwear champs.
In a recent tell-all interview with Nike, the designer Sean McDowell has gone into depth explaining what exactly inspired the creation of the polarizing kick.
“One evening, it was turning to dusk, so the very blue sky was starting to fade to dark blue, and the palm trees were blowing in the wind. I sketched that out, and I thought, ‘It could make a quarter panel like you could hold your foot down with those palm trees.” Ever thought of a cinematic sunset when you’ve copped a look at a TN popping up beneath a pair of Nike trackies and bumbag combo? Maybe now you will.
McDowell also went on to explain how he wanted each colourway to represent a different ‘vista of the sky’, explaining, “the first shoe was dusk, the second was almost all black with a little bit of red to represent stars in the night sky, and the third was bright orange and yellow to depict sunrise the next morning, but nobody thought the sunset gradient was possible. I drew the fade and everyone was like, ‘You’ll never be able to do that, you can’t find a material like that”
Since the revival of so-called ‘lad fashion,’ the TN has taken more appreciated route as of late, with many incorporating the loud kick into popular streetwear looks.
Check out our list of lad looks that have made a comeback in 2017.
