We chat to Offspring Community member Dan Gooding about the upcoming OG release, his collection and the iconic ‘Safari’ print.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Dan, I’m an older head a.k.a. @lovesneakershatesneakerheads. I grew up when a lot of the pairs we now drool over first hit the streets. I live in Cambridge and work in the early-stage biotech space – a very different community! Father to 3 awesome sons. Dog-Dad to my Irish Terrier, Twig (or Twiggy Smalls). And husband to an incredible wife.
So, the iconic 1987 Air Safari makes a return, we hear you love it just a little bit… What are your thoughts?
I think we all have our own sneaker journeys – our inspirations change over time. My original influences were basketball shoes and that was all I cared about initially. I obviously understood Air technology’s runner origins, but it wasn’t until the early 90s that I owned and fell in love with the AM1. Then retrospectively discovering the Safaris…
If you have any love for an AM1, it’s impossible to not love a Safari – they share so many design details and important history.
Without revealing your age here, do you remember the first one?
Nah I’m not that old lol! But again… my first love was basketball shoes, not runners. My cousin lived in London and was Air Max mad. It’s incredible to think about the pack they first dropped in – the AM1, the Air Trainer 1, the Air Sock and the Safari… all in one go. Three shoes, very specifically designed for athletics and the Safari, that was not.
The Safari print is arguably grail status amongst Nike executions and has been used across many shoes. Would you say this is the most iconic of all the prints?
When you think that this concept was first put on a pair of shoes in 1986, this is two years before Elephant print, which is the other iconic print. So for many reasons it’s the OG. You could also argue it’s the most pervasive.
From Dunks to Prestos to Foamposites… even an AJ3. So from this perspective, the Safari print has to be the most iconic. It’s the original neck-snapper.
The OG has been retroed several times now. Have you managed to grab them all and will you be grabbing this one?
I’ve caught quite a few. The 2003 was the best representative retro in terms of materials and construction matching the OG. The 2012 was also very good – I used this pair to fuse the Safari with the AM1 and finally give the Safari some visible air.
Materials and shape mean everything to us older connoisseurs! So if those aspects are on point, it will get bought!
What are your thoughts on the upcoming pair?
So much has happened since its last release, so it’s good to see it again and introduce it to the next generation. The next may not realise it, but this is the pair that was first designed for how we wear trainers today. In an era that was all about athletics and function – lightweight, breathable mesh and felt and innovative cushioning. Then came a shoe with animal hide materials and aesthetics – not designed for athletics at all.
We should trace back to this shoe as to the origin of everything we wear now. It’s also beautiful shoe in both materials and design – symmetry of the mudguard, aero leather tongue.
The OG, also a shoe that inspires us to be brave (given it was such a counter-culture concept) and disruptive, which is what takes us all forward.
What would you like to see next for Nike Air and what would that look like?
I’m looking forward to next year and the 95 anniversary to see what comes. Can never have enough neon 95s. But I’d really love to see Nike digging back into the Air-inspired ACG archives – there’s a lot of untapped goodness there. I’ve loved seeing the Humara back for example.
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS
1. Would you swap your car for the original pair?
Hell no!
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2. What would you put Safari on right now?
Again, I’d go back to the ACG back catalogue across the Terra line and put the print back out in nature-roaming intended pairs, where the inspiration came from.
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3. What’s the new Safari print if you could replace it?
The ‘Hufquake’ pattern has not been explored enough, and is similar to giraffe, so let’s go with Giraffe.
The Nike Air Safari OG is available online and in Offspring stores on the 19th of July.
