"Project MBC"
Custom Nike Air Force 1 (2024)
I made these custom Nike Air Force 1’s with metastatic breast cancer awareness in mind, and the colors/materials chosen reflect that very cause.
Colors
Cork
Pacific
Phontel
Vera
Heart
Canvas
To begin, I built a color palette inspired by METAvivor's teal, green and pink MBC ribbon, selecting 6 unique hex codes and naming the colors “Cork” tan, “Pacific” blue, “Phontel” green, “Vera” pink, “Heart” red and “Canvas” white.
These colors don’t quite fit into a solely analogous, complimentary, monochromatic or triadic color scheme; but I chose them because their psychology aligns with the journey of surviving cancer, and cancer doesn’t play by the rules.
Among others, “Cork” brings out a sense of durability, calmness and reassurance; “Pacific” the feelings of stress relief, clarity and stability; “Phontel” translates to renewal, energy and abundance; “Vera” resembles strength, healing and comfort; “Heart” evokes the thought of confidence, courage and attention; and “Canvas” carries with it the idea of simplicity, optimism and new beginnings.
Materials
The materials I chose are just as intentional and substantial as the colors. Starting from the bottom of the shoe, the “Canvas” white rubber midsole acts as a metaphorical canvas, to be painted on with inevitable dirt, mud and scuffing as these shoes are worn. Each midsole blemish will tell a story; a parallel to the events, challenges and changes that a survivor will come to face throughout their diagnosis. The midsole houses an upper that is comprised of a natural Portuguese oak bark/cotton bonded cork, polypropylene canvas, 1000 denier cordura nylon, Lambskin leather, heat transfer chrome and retroreflective thermoplastic polyurethane.
Bonded cork is noticeably the main material used for this pair, a contrast to the pink patent leather/carbon fiber vinyl combination from 2023's prototype; and appears across the majority of each shoe as a metaphor for beating breast cancer. Whether a survivor goes into remission, or lives every day of their life with terminal MBC to the fullest; survivors are champions, and that's synonymous with popping the cork of a champagne bottle.
The polypropylene canvas is a biodegradable material that, while still made from plastic, is recyclable, nontoxic and more sustainable than most plastics. It’s also stain, mold, mildew, water and UV-resistant (1000 hour tested); which led me to select it as a symbol for longevity and resilience.
Cordura nylon not only shares the same resistant properties as the polypropylene canvas, but it’s also abrasion resistant as well as sustainable; being made with 100% recycled, pre-consumer waste materials.
Carrying over from 2023’s prototype, I used retroreflective thermoplastic polyurethane again as a call to action. It serves as a reminder for men and women to ‘shine a light’ on themselves by routinely checking for breast cancer symptoms; a parallel to how retroreflective material illuminates once introduced to a light source. The perforations in the vamp and quarter panels are underlaid with a heat transferred chrome vinyl for that same reason, reminiscent of a mirror.
Metal accents such as the custom gold dubrae, 3 and 4mm gold eyelets and METAvivor’s MBC ribbon pin (which you can order here- and I will not receive a commission) were added to accent the cork and overall theme of being a champion.
My favorite element of this pair was also carried over from 2023’s prototype, with the red stitching at the base of the eyestay resembling the heart and pulse rate from an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor. The red shoelaces are a metaphor for continuous life and blood flow to and from the heart; traveling through each eyelet like veins throughout the body.
The goal with this pair and future related items, is to raise awareness and funding for metastatic breast cancer research. My hope is that one day we can find a cure. With that in mind, each item sold with METAvivor's MBC ribbon logo will see 50% of revenue donated to METAvivor, for the funding of research grants.
METAvivor Research and Support is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support for women and men with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and funding research to transition MBC from a terminal illness to a controlled, chronic condition. Learn more here.
This pair of custom footwear is neither an official product of Nike or METAvivor, nor is it a collaboration between either entity; it is an art piece and concept project created independently by Demetrius C. Mensah.