Fashion designer Chitose Abe of sacai approaches collaborations with a distinct clarity: She looks to find a genuine connection that allows her to create something new and unexpected. Her design itself balances two ideas: stability and betrayal. Abe's aim is to simultaneously give light to the familiar and the new.

She does this with the Nike x sacai LDWaffle and Blazer Mid, both of which debuted at sacai's SS19 runway show in Paris in June 2018. For example, Abe employs her signature ethos on the Nike x sacai LDWaffle by pulling two heritage Nike silhouettes into a single hybrid form. The "betrayal" elements of this exercise include doubled elements, like the Swoosh and tongue, as well as elongated midsoles. Abe delivers "stability" through the familiar retro color scheme.

The Nike x sacai LDWaffle and Nike x sacai Blazer Mid release globally on May 16 and May 30, respectively, at select Nike retailers listed below.