Original Story (01/11/24): Originally released in 1997 as a performance basketball shoe, the Air Foamposite One has grown to be one of the most iconic silhouettes in Nike’s catalog. Its rich history starts with designer Eric Avar, who worked on the Foamposite as an experimental project for over three years before it hit the market. Its molded PU upper was truly innovative, and many at Nike didn’t believe it was a feasible design.
However, Avar and his team persevered, and the Foamposite made its on-court debut in 1997. While Mike Bibby was the first to wear them while playing at Arizona, it was Penny Hardaway who adopted the Foamposite as his own, and the final design featured Penny’s 1Cent badge at the heel and sole.
Fast forward a decade plus, when a whole new generation of sneakerheads became obsessed with Foams. Hype for the silhouette grew with the release of coveted colorways like the “Eggplant” and “Copper.” Though it was in 2012 when Foams hit peak popularity with the “Galaxy” colorway, causing mass hysteria at retailers nationwide.
Now in 2024, Nike is bringing back some of these cherished colorways in hopes of reviving the craze from the early ’10s. Kicking off this revival is the “Eggplant,” originally released in 2009 and brought back in 2017 for the model’s 20th anniversary. It features a Varsity Purple polyurethane shell with an iridescent finish, paired with black nubuck around the eyelets and a black mesh tongue. Underfoot, a black carbon fiber plate is paired with an icy translucent outsole.
The Nike Air Foamposite One “Eggplant” has already touched down in some regions of the world, though it is expected to release in the US and globally on February 14th via SNKRS and select retailers. Check out the official images below.
Update (02/15/24): Originally expected to drop on Valentine’s Day, the Air Foamposite One “Eggplant” is now loaded up on SNKRS with a February 29th release date. They will release at select retailers on this date as well.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Eggplant”
Color: Black/Varsity Purple-Black
Style Code: FN5212-001
Release Date: February 29, 2024
Price: $240 USD
Resell: StockX
