Nike’s LD-1000 is, by definition, an elderly sneaker. The shoe was launched way back in 1977, just over a decade after Nike was founded, and is one of its original running shoes.

That waffle sole, low-profile shape, and big swoosh are all features brought over from Nike’s first-ever shoe known as the “Moon Shoe.” (Fun fact: an original pair of Moon Shoes sold in a 2019 Sotheby’s auction for an astounding $437,500.)

But now, the LD-1000 has gotten even more elderly. It’s gone grandma. 

The Nike LD-1000 “Soft Pearl” is dressed in the natural off-white-tinged hue of a pearl (a gemstone universally known as being worn by Grandmas and A$AP Rocky).

On the base of the slim, retro running sneaker is a decorative woven pattern while on the front, there’s a decorative lace charm that looks suspiciously like the crocheted coasters at my grandma’s house. 

While we’ve seen this sneaker model wearing similarly knitted fabrics in the past, this “Soft Pearl” rendition really leans into the sneaker's elderly status. Expected to be released later this year, the Nike LD-1000 will retail for around $100. 

Many recent, rich-in-color Nike LD-1000 sneakers have brought a youthful energy to the shoe (the most notable being its Stüssy collaborations). But with this pair, it does the opposite.

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