Top 5 Nation Themed Sneakers

The 75th Independence Day of India is just around the corner. This marks the Diamond Jubilee of our country’s freedom. And while the world of sneakers may not have embraced India's very own sneaker identity yet, there do exist several other countries whose flags and respective colours have been employed to design some exhilaratingly inspired sneaker silhouettes and colour palettes. The central idea is that there are sneakerheads all over the world who, aside from their shared love for some good ol' Nikes, share a passion for representing their homeland and community. To commemorate that niche category, we've compiled a list of some of the best Nation-themed sneakers to ever hit the streets, and we hope that India is soon inculcated into this esteemed category.

1. Nike Dunk Low ‘Brazil’

While the Nike Dunk Low 'Brazil' made a comeback in 2020, it first appeared in 2001. Using extreme colour-blocking, this Dunk perfectly combined the national colours of yellow and green, clearly paying homage to the Verde e Amarela (the Brazilian Flag). The best part about this country-themed sneaker is that it could pass for a regular Dunk release, one that simply combines Pine Green and Michigan colours.

 

2. Nike Air Presto ‘Korea’

The Nike Air Presto 'Korea' was supposed to be released in 2020 for the then-postponed Summer Olympics. It's styled after Korea's away kit, with a mismatched blue and red cage and an all-over Zebra print. The Taegukgi sits proudly on the heel as the final detail. Because of the somewhat White Tiger skin look on the shoe's toe box and midguard, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to express their fierce competitive attitude on the running track.

3. Nike Air More Uptempo ‘Italy’

The Nike Air More Uptempo 'Italy,' a sneaker fit for a loud and proud Italian, featured the national colours of red, white, and green all over it. This obvious ode to the tri-colored Italian flag is not for the faint of heart and is popular among the patriotic and bold youth of Italy's Amalfi coast. If only the toe box had been Saffron/Orange instead of Red, we Indians could have had our own themed sneaker, but oh well.

4. New Balance 576 ‘France’

The only non-Nike shoe on this list was never intended to be a country-themed sneaker in the first place. In fact, the colour palette coincidentally matched the colours of the French flag, so it was marketed accordingly. Owing to it being so loud and proud, it would be hard not to tell that this New Balance 576 is representing France. The French flag has been wrapped around the entire shoe, then slapped on the heel counter to confirm its inspiration.

5. Nike Air Max 1 ‘USA’

Of course, no country-themed sneaker list would be complete without the revered Nike Air Max 1 'USA'. It was a huge hit when it first came out in 2003. It wore the national colours of red, white, and blue and proudly displayed the American flag on its tongue. The shoe was intended for a 4th of July release in 2003, but later went on to be marketed as the official American team sneaker for the upcoming 2004 Olympics.