Nike Super Fly from 2001/2002

By Raiment Young

I kept mine even when I knew I was not going to wear them. It was not because they were no longer trendy; it was out of fear that they would come apart when I walked on the street or about to disembark the train. Now that Nike is giving the Superfly (another) comeback in 2025, I brought my out to give them an inspection. They needed repairs, for sure. I am not going to risk wearing them. The thing, is the Superfly (back then, it was, I remember, spelled as two words. It must not be confused with the football kicks Mercurial Superfly, for example) is one of my favourite Nike kicks, even after I retired them. When they first appeared, they were unusual in that they were really light, with an unlined, unpadded upper, some in leather, some in suede (such as mine, in the photo above). They were, at the time, one of the most comforting shoes I owned. Given their simplicity and lean silhouette, I considered them my Sambas!

Many people have forgotten that back in 2001, one of Junya Watanabe’ early collaborations with Nike was the the Super Fly. I remember it to be in silver (although there was probably another colour). I can now also recall how old-school it was, but not in the way that was synonymous with, say, the Waffle. Nike launched their non-collab version about the same time. It definitely was not a fancy sneaker, stuffed with all sort of footwear tech. I truly liked that it was not highly-wrought—it was really the shoe and not much else—no fancy sole (not even a mid-sole) or complex uppers or overlays. But that is not to say it was bereft of details. The perforated upper was especially appealing to me and the open seam work on the toe box was consistent with the unfinished seams of garments that I found myself drawn to at the time. It could also explain why Mr Watanabe was attracted to them. There was a Japanese aesthetical sensibility about the old Super Fly.

They can be slipped into, but walking in them is impossible now, as the sole threatens to divorce itself from the upper

And then Nike decided to revive the shoe. But, unfortunately, I don’t see myself connecting to the latest iteration. From images I have seen so far, the new Air Superfly has a more structured silhouette. It is seems additionally moulded, rather than scoring the almost moccasin-like construction of the old-school original. That may not be a bad thing, since it is, after all, a pair of running shoe. But it significantly reduces what to me was their artisanal vibe. With the new shoes, Nike has generally retained the old kick’s basic foam sole (minus the mid-sole) and the unusual assymetry (at least back then) that supports the foot. I am now sure if, in sum, version 2025 will still appeal to me, but I am keeping positive about its potential attraction.

Looking at the Super Fly now, I am overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia. My first pair of the iteration was bought in Paris, at a shoe store in Les Halles that is no longer there. It came with a suede upper that was truly comfortable and was as weightless as a pair of socks. I liked it so much that, a year later, I bought a pair in faux snake skin in Tokyo, at Atmos, then a small indie retailer, unlike the chain behemoth it is today. The old Super Fly was appealing to me also because it did not pretend to be something more bombastic than it needed to be. It was a discrete pair of footwear, yet not quite. After a thought, I decided to try wearing my old one to step out of my flat. And, sadly it did not allow me to go beyond a metre from my front door. I packed my still-speaking-to-me Super Fly in a plastic bag and brought it to the clobber. He did not even touch the shoe; he simply said, “cannot”.

The new Nike Air Superfly is expected to appear in stores next January. No information on pricing yet. Watch this for further details. Photos: Jim Sim