Side Kicks Streetwear • Global Release Guide
Updated: 8 October 2026
About the release
The third chapter of NIGO's ongoing Air Force 1 project lands as a three-way linkup between the Japanese streetwear legend, BTS's resident sneakerhead J-Hope, and Nike. The NIGO x J-Hope x Nike Air Force 1 '01 'Burnt Sunrise' (style code IO8766-800) uses the 2001 AF-1 shape — the sleeker, sportier construction NIGO re-centred his AF-1 work on this year — rather than the more widely circulated 2007 build. It's billed as the first proper fashion-to-K-pop crossover on the Uptown, with NIGO himself calling J-Hope "one of the few people who can become a true ambassador for culture and help carry it forward to the next generation."
The colourway runs Burnt Sunrise and Metallic Gold. Dark red premium leather on the toe and lace panel with matching terry on the sockliner, with the toe box and side panels switching to a rich chocolate brown. The heel panel steps down into a darker brown for autumn depth, with red returning on the outsole, Tiffany-style blue (chlorine blue) on the tongue tag and arctic pink hits on the midsole AIR branding. The embroidered squirrel graphic on the lateral heel is the collab's signature detail — a shared mascot from NIGO and J-Hope's HUMAN HOPE project and a nod to how the BTS Army associates J-Hope with the critter. Alternate 'NIGO' and 'J-Hope' branding replaces the usual 'Nike' text on the tongue tags and heel tabs. Multi-colour rope laces, patterned insole matching the packaging sleeve.
Nike Air Force 1 Low '01 NIGO 'Last Orgy 2'
The first chapter of NIGO's 2026 AF-1 '01 project with Jun Takahashi
Shop Now →TL;DR – NIGO x J-Hope x Nike Air Force 1 '01 'Burnt Sunrise' Release Date, Price & Where to Buy
- UK release date (wider release): Thursday 22 October 2026, 8 AM via Nike SNKRS and select retailers
- Early release: Saturday 17 October 2026 via the Human Made webstore
- Model: Air Force 1 '01 (2001 construction — sleeker, sportier than the 2007 shape)
- Colourway: Burnt Sunrise / Metallic Gold / Brown
- Style code: IO8766-800
- UK retail price: £135 (£134.99 via Nike)
- US retail price: $150
- Sizing: Unisex
- Where to buy: Human Made webstore (early), then Nike SNKRS and select retailers (wider)
- Collab history: Third chapter of NIGO's 2026 AF-1 '01 project (after 'Last Orgy 2' with Jun Takahashi and the 50-pair '2GO' white-on-white)
- Key details: Dark red premium leather toe and lace panel with matching terry sockliner, chocolate brown toe box and side panels, darker brown heel panel, red rubber outsole, chlorine blue tongue tag, arctic pink midsole AIR branding, embroidered squirrel graphic on lateral heel, alternate NIGO and J-Hope branding on tongue tags and heel tabs, multi-colour rope laces, patterned insole matching packaging sleeve
Release date and price
The Human Made webstore early release opens on Saturday 17 October 2026, giving NIGO's own channel the first allocation of the pair. The wider release follows on Thursday 22 October 2026 at 8 AM UK via Nike SNKRS and select retailers. UK retail is £135 (£134.99 via Nike), US retail $150. Unisex sizing.
Demand on this one is going to be a two-angle story. On one side, NIGO's AF-1 '01 project has been one of the most watched sneaker storylines of 2026 — his pivot from the Air Force 3 earlier this year was a monumental shift, and the first two chapters ('Last Orgy 2' with Jun Takahashi and the 50-pair '2GO') both moved aggressively. On the other, this is J-Hope's first proper mainstream Nike collab, which pulls in the BTS Army at scale. Expect the Human Made 17 Oct window to clear instantly, and the 22 Oct SNKRS raffle to run at proper K-pop collab volume.
Design and details
What makes this one interesting beyond the names attached is the colour-blocking logic. NIGO leaned into early-2000s AF-1 colour-blocking cues on the mockup stage, and the final execution carries that through — this reads as a 2026 take on a shoe that could've dropped in 2003, with just enough modern detail to pull it forward.
The 2001 construction — why it matters
NIGO specifically chose the 2001 AF-1 '01 construction over the more widely used 2007 build. The '01 shape has a sportier, sleeker silhouette compared to the chunkier '07, with subtler panel proportions and a lower-profile midsole. For NIGO-tracking collectors, this is the detail that matters most — he's been systematic in choosing the '01 build across his 2026 AF-1 project, treating the earlier construction as the correct canvas for his design language.
The Burnt Sunrise palette
Dark red premium leather runs the toe cap and lace panel, with the sockliner carrying matching terry cloth material — a quiet premium touch. The toe box and side panels step into rich chocolate brown, with the heel panel dropping into a darker brown shade for depth. The outsole returns to red, closing the loop on the dark-red lead colour. Accent hits land on the tongue tag (chlorine / Tiffany-style blue) and the AIR branding on the midsole (arctic pink) — small cold-tone punches against the warm leather base that keep the shoe from reading as entirely autumnal.
The squirrel, the branding and the small details
The embroidered squirrel graphic on the lateral heel is the collab's signature. The mascot comes from NIGO and J-Hope's shared HUMAN HOPE project, and the squirrel in particular has become an informal J-Hope association within the BTS Army — fans have long linked him to the critter. On the tongue tags and heel tabs, alternate 'NIGO' and 'J-Hope' text branding replaces the usual 'Nike' wordmark, one name per shoe. The pair finishes with multi-colour rope laces and a patterned insole that matches the sleeve on the packaging — a nice end-to-end design touch that extends the collab's visual identity to the box itself.
NIGO x J-Hope x Nike Air Force 1 '01 'Burnt Sunrise' images
Credit: Nike
Nike Air Force 1 Low SP Undefeated Multi-Patent 'Wild Berry'
Another standout AF-1 collab from the current archive
Shop Now →NIGO's 2026 AF-1 '01 project in context
January 2026's news that NIGO was ceasing his ongoing Air Force 3 collaboration and pivoting to the Air Force 1 was one of the year's biggest Nike moments. The Japanese streetwear legend has one of the most well-documented AF-1 histories in the game, and committing a full project to the Uptown — specifically the 2001 construction — read as a return to form.
The run so far: Chapter one was the 'Last Orgy 2' with his longtime friend Jun Takahashi of Undercover, a dense collab loaded with references to their shared creative history. Chapter two was the '2GO', a classic white-on-white AF-1 released as a 50-pair run — a near-impossible pickup that cemented the project's cult status. This 'Burnt Sunrise' with J-Hope is chapter three, and the first to open the collab circle beyond NIGO's immediate Tokyo creative orbit. Pulling in J-Hope — K-pop's most prominent sneakerhead — extends the project's cultural reach significantly without diluting its visual language. Expect more chapters to follow across 2026 and into 2027.
Where to buy
The NIGO x J-Hope x Nike Air Force 1 '01 'Burnt Sunrise' drops early via the Human Made webstore on Saturday 17 October 2026, with the wider release on Thursday 22 October 2026 at 8 AM UK via Nike SNKRS and select retailers. UK retail £135. Unisex sizing. Browse the full Air Force 1 collection, the wider Nike archive and other NIGO drops on Side Kicks.
FAQ
When is the NIGO x J-Hope AF-1 '01 release date?
The pair releases early via the Human Made webstore on Saturday 17 October 2026, with the wider release on Thursday 22 October 2026 at 8 AM UK via Nike SNKRS and select retailers. Unisex sizing.
How much does the NIGO x J-Hope AF-1 cost?
UK retail is £135 (£134.99 via Nike). US retail is $150.
What's the squirrel on the heel?
The embroidered squirrel graphic on the lateral heel is a mascot from NIGO and J-Hope's shared HUMAN HOPE project. The squirrel has also become an informal J-Hope association within the BTS Army — fans have long linked him to the critter. It's the collab's signature visual detail.
What's the difference between the AF-1 '01 and the '07?
The 2001 construction (used here) has a sportier, sleeker silhouette with subtler panel proportions and a lower-profile midsole. The 2007 construction (the more widely circulated modern AF-1) is chunkier and bulkier in profile. NIGO has specifically chosen the '01 build across his entire 2026 AF-1 project — collectors tracking the project should expect the '01 shape across future chapters too.
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