Wearing John Geiger's GF-01: The sneaker Nike hates

Ian Servantes May 12, 2022 Style A lawsuit hasn’t stopped Geiger from making a luxurious Air Force 1 homage with Patrón. Maya Ernest/Input

John Geiger is an independent sneaker designer and customizer who’s found a steady hit with his GF-01 silhouette. Ian Servantes / Input

The shoe is a clear riff on Nike’s iconic Air Force 1, only made with more premium materials and branding specific to Geiger. Ian Servantes / Input

For as much acclaim as Geiger has enjoyed with his steady stream of GF-01s in different color schemes, Nike is not a fan, and filed suit against the designer last year while alleging infringement. Ian Servantes / Input

Unlike other indie designers, Geiger isn’t backing down and is continuing his fight in court while putting out more GF-01 designs. We got our hands on a pair made in collaboration with Patrón and are in awe with the level of quality. Ian Servantes / Input

The luxuriousness of the leather Geiger uses is quite palpable, and this version of the GF-01 in particular is a textural dream. Maya Ernest / Input

The Patrón branding is also kept to a minimum, which is good news if you don’t want to look like you picked up your gear from promo night at a club. There’s just a beautiful bee logo embroidered on the mustache and a color scheme inspired by agave fields in Jalisco, Mexico. Maya Ernest / Input

Because the leather is so high-grade, it is a tad stiff and will require some breaking in — a process that should absolutely be worth it. Maya Ernest / Input

The best detail of all, though, is one no one else will see. A raised footbed inside is an absolute dream to walk on. Maya Ernest / Input

The John Geiger x Patrón GF-01 is sold out, but there are several more versions of the sneaker available on his website — and you should absolutely look out for more releases to come. Patrón

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