# Urban China-Inspired Sneakers The Nike Air Max 90 EM Are Based on Chinese City Tianjin By Jonathon Brown | Published 2013-02-11 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-air-max-90-em References: [kithnyc](http://www.kithnyc.com/2013/02/nike-air-max-90-em-tianjin-kith-nyc/) & [nike](http://www.nike.com) The new [Nike](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evergreen-aura) Air Max 90 EM sneakers take their cue from a city in China named Tianjin. Tianjin is the fourth largest city in China and one of five national central cities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The equivalent to a national city in the U.S. is the District of Columbia, which is a federal state city controlled completely by the federal government and not bound by state laws. Tianjin has long been an important seaport city as well as a gateway to China's capital city. The Nike Air Max 90 EM includes a [black mesh design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-95-big-bubble) on the toe, which sits on top of a white bottom rim with paint splatters. This shoe comes as part of Nike's Engineered Mesh City Series. It will sell for $120, but is only available in limited quantities. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.2/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 73% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Hip Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/hipfashion) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **City-inspired Sneakers:** Opportunity for footwear brands to create sneakers that draw design inspiration from specific cities or regions, appealing to consumers' sense of local pride and identity. - **Limited Edition Releases:** Potential for brands to generate hype and exclusivity by producing sneakers in limited quantities, driving consumer demand and creating a sense of urgency to purchase. - **Cross-cultural Collaborations:** Possibility for brands to collaborate with local artists or designers from different cultural backgrounds to create unique sneaker designs that fuse elements of various cities' aesthetics. ### Where This Applies - **Footwear:** Opportunity for footwear brands to tap into the market demand for city-inspired sneakers and limited edition releases. - **Fashion:** Fashion industry can leverage the trend of city-inspired sneakers to create city-themed collections and collaborations with footwear brands. - **Art and Design:** Artists and designers have the opportunity to collaborate with footwear brands to create exclusive, culturally-inspired sneaker designs that appeal to a global audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Green-Tinged Layered Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evergreen-aura.md) - [Italy-Inspired Textural Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-plus-1.md) - [Monochromatic Patterned Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thunderstorm-colorway.md) - [Futuristic Sporty Patriotic Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-dn-sneaker.md) - [High-Tech Dynamic Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-dn8.md) - [Multi-Color Spring Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-90-1.md) - [Monochromatic Metallic Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-90-usa.md) - [Retro Brightly Accented Runners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-max-craze.md) - [Yellow Patterned Bold Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/university-gold-2.md)