The once-unexpected collaboration between sportswear behemoth Nike and influential Japanese streetwear designer Nigo is carrying on with new versions of the former’s overlooked Air Force 3 Low sneaker. But this time, rather than the patent leather and pony hair-adorned styles fans have been treated to thus far, the duo is calling on a third partner, Levi’s, to lend its signature material.

The Levi’s x Nigo x Nike Air Force 3 Low collection includes two different styles of the retro basketball sneaker. Like Nigo’s previous interpretations of the sneaker, the materials coloring are the main focus here.

Each style combines a Levi’s denim base with suede overlays and metallic leather Swoosh logos. The three-way collaboration will be offered in two looks — Enigma Stone/Summit White/Navy/Metallic Pewter and Olive Gray/Summit White/Navy/Metallic Pewter — with the latter essentially being a washed-out and distressed variation of the former.

The duo’s Enigma Stone colorway opts for darker shades, using a rich indigo denim base with brown suede overlays and navy coloring throughout the midsole. Meanwhile, the Olive Gray pair appears as if it’s been lovingly worn like a favorite pair of jeans. Its suede is rougher, its denim paneling faded and the midsole features a pre-yellowed effect. 

Originally released in 1988 as a third version of the iconic Air Force 1, the Air Force 3 has been largely left in the past. The model’s high-top variation was reissued in 2005 but aside from the Nigo collaborations, there have been no recent rereleases to speak of. 

Nigo’s connection to the Air Force line was once controversial. As the founder and former owner of Japanese brand Bape, he introduced the label’s popular Bape Sta spinoff in 2002. Although the sneaker was heavily inspired by Nike’s Air Force 1, Bape and Nigo went unchecked for decades. Then, in 2023, the Oregon-based company sued Bape — which Nigo had already sold in 2011 — for trademark infringement. The lawsuit was settled a year later, with Bape agreeing to modify the infringing design.

Both Levi’s x Nigo x Nike Air Force 3 Lows pictured here are expected to be released this holiday season for $150 each. The Enigma Stone colorway’s style code is IB1808-002, while the Olive Gray is IB1808-001.