NIKE

Nike Air Force 1 — Built Like a Burger

Personal Concept Project
Footwear Design · Visual Concept · Packaging · Typography

Art Direction Overview

This self-initiated project reimagines the Nike Air Force 1 through the lens of food culture—using the structure of a hamburger as a visual and material system.

The goal was to translate a universally recognizable object into a cohesive design language across product, packaging, and campaign—blending playfulness with the iconic identity of Nike.

The Idea

Everyday objects hold strong visual hierarchies. A burger, like a sneaker, is built in layers.

By treating each ingredient as a design element, the concept turns a familiar food into a structured system that informs material, color, and composition.

The Air Force 1 becomes something constructed—not just designed.

The System

Product Design (The Shoe)
The sneaker is the core expression of the concept, with each component inspired by burger ingredients:

• Bun → soft tan suede overlays

• Lettuce → light green accents for contrast and freshness

• Tomato → saturated red panels for visual pop

• Cheese → warm yellow stitching and interior details

• Patty → deep brown textures for depth and grounding

• Sesame seeds → subtle embossed or printed detailing

The design balances novelty with recognizability—pushing the concept while maintaining the integrity of the original silhouette.

Packaging (Shoe Box)
The packaging extends the concept into a tactile experience inspired by a fast-food burger box.

• Custom typography and playful copy

• Layered graphics that mimic wrapping and assembly

• Textures and colors that reinforce the food narrative

The unboxing experience becomes part of the storytelling—not just a container.

Campaign Extensions (Posters + Apparel)
To push the concept beyond product, the identity was applied across posters and a graphic t-shirt.

• Posters: bold, graphic compositions emphasizing layering, ingredients, and construction

• T-Shirt: wearable translation of the visual system, designed to feel like a streetwear piece rather than merchandise

These extensions position the concept within fashion and visual culture—not just product design.

Art Direction

The visual language merges food aesthetics with streetwear sensibility:

• Bold, structured compositions inspired by stacked forms

• Saturated, appetizing color palettes with high contrast

• Playful yet controlled typography

• Textural layering to mimic real materials

The direction balances humor and precision—keeping the concept fun without losing design discipline.

Audience

Primary: 18–35 consumers interested in sneaker culture, streetwear, and concept-driven design
Secondary: creatives and trend-driven audiences who engage with visually unique products

Execution

Developed a cohesive system across product, packaging, and campaign touchpoints including sneaker design, posters, apparel, and box design.

Created using Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, and Procreate.

Outcome (Conceptual)

A concept that transforms the Nike Air Force 1 into a storytelling object—bridging product design, packaging, and visual culture through a single, cohesive idea.