The collab between Nike and Riccardo Tisci has been quiet for a long time since 2018—but now, they're back! The twist? These are not sneakers, but a $500 USD leather handbag called "The Mercer Bag."
Along with the Nike SS25 lineup, a new luxury bag made in Italy is released, with a minimalist yet elegant design. Using black pebble leather, debossed Nike logo on the front flap and metal R.T. Tisci's wordmark on the strap and side of the bag. In addition, the golden hardware provides easy adjustability to the strap, so its overall appearance looks premium.
This is not the first collab between Riccardo Tisci and Nike. In 2014, they began the partnership with an Air Force 1 collection with jacquard ankle straps, followed by the NikeLab Dunk Lux High, Flyknit sneakers, and the Air Zoom Legend boot. In 2018, they released the mid-top Air Max 97 and Air Force 1 High. But now, they've moved from sneakers to luxury bags—a new direction for their collab.
One of the reasons for this shift is the changing taste in fashion. The hype in sneakers is still going on, but the market for luxury bags is also growing, especially in men's fashion. According to The RealReal's 2024 report, searches for men's handbags have increased by 900% compared to last year.
Also, Nike seems to be trying to move away from the overexposure of sneakers. Many sneakerheads say Nike's releases lack innovation, so they're taking a different step to recapture the market's attention. One of their recent moves is the NikeSKIMS collab with Kim Kardashian, which is focused on female consumers.
This could be just the beginning of Nike's hybrid-luxe strategy. In 2022, they also collaborated with Jacquemus for a Swoosh-shaped handbag, which now sells for $400 on the Nike web store. It looks like their reach is expanding into the luxury space—and if it's successful, there may be more high-fashion collabs to come in the future.
