Designing the Nike Air Max 90 Silver Seagull
A Sydney Design Experiment
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to collaborate with Nike. But since the call hasn't come (yet), I went ahead and did it myself. And honestly… if they see this, they may change their minds. (Well, probably not, but it was worth a shot.)
The idea came from three sparks of inspiration:
Tom Sachs' Mars Yard Shoe: the NASA-inspired shoe that redefined design storytelling for me.
Jeff Staple's legendary Dunk Low Pigeon: which is a love letter to New York City.
And the Nike Air Max 90 Infrared: the unattainable early '90s holy grail that shaped sneaker culture and colourways.
From there, I asked myself: What's the Sydney equivalent of the New York pigeon? The answer was obvious, especially given how much time I spend at Bondi: the seagull. It is beautiful, bold, scrappy, sometimes annoying, but an unforgettable part of this amazing city.
Nike Air Max 90 Silver Seagull (Sydney Edition)
1. Story & Narrative
The Sydney seagull is to our city what the Pigeon is to New York: an urban icon. From stealing hot chips at the beach to dive-bombing tourists at Circular Quay, they're woven into Sydney's coastal culture. Love them or hate them, they're part of the story.
This design pays tribute to that grit, humour, resilience and turning something ordinary into something iconic.
2. Colourway Concept
Base Grey Tones: soft silver and cool grey suede/mesh.
White Panels: smooth leather from the seagull underbelly.
Wing Black: matte blue black swoosh based on the feathers in flight.
Red Foot Strikes: outsole forefoot in seagull-leg red.
Yellow Laces: a nod to the hot chips that tie the story together.
3. Materials & Details
Feather-textured suede overlays.
Lightweight mesh toe box for that breezy, coastal feel.
Reflective swoosh edges + heel tab inspired by how gulls catch sunset light.
Sole and Outsole:
Translucent rubber with faded newspaper print underneath (fish & chips in yesterday's news).
Aged tint, like nostalgic old print.
Branding:
Tongue: classic Nike Air + "Silver Seagull" type.
Insole: Sydney Harbour skyline with gulls overhead.
Heel: embroidered golden hot chip.
4. Packaging
Box styled like a Sydney chip shop takeaway.
Newspaper wrapping for the shoes.
Box detail: "Do not feed the seagulls."
5. Positioning
Like Staple's Pigeon Dunks, this shoe roots itself in place and culture. It's cheeky, gritty, and unmistakably Sydney. The plan is a local drop with global desirability.
And maybe, just maybe, the continuation of what Jeff Staples started with the Pigeon and the City Birds series:
Sydney Seagull
London Sparrow
Tokyo Crow
New York Pigeon (the OG)
Why We Love Projects Like This
At Austin Media & Design, we specialise in website design, targeted social campaigns, and print design. Still, projects like this remind us what design is really about: storytelling, culture, and a bit of fun.
Great design isn't just about how something looks. It's about what it says, the story it tells, and how it connects with people. Whether it's building a brand identity, creating a website that feels alive, or imagining a sneaker collab that may never happen, design is our way of making ideas real.
And if Nike ever calls, well, we're ready.
