Lace-free Nikes are having their moment right now. But does that really constitute a craze? Well, in the case of the Nike Air Max Craze, it absolutely does.

Nike's Air Max Craze sneaker is a futuristic crossbreed of a Nike Sunder shoe and a slip-on sandal, quite on par with the fusion footwear craze (pun intended) taking over right now.

And most notably, the Air Max Craze sneaker now comes in Nike's popular “Dusty Cactus” colorway, Nike's unofficial version of Tiffany Blue. (That is, when the Swoosh isn't using actual Tiffany Blue hues for official collabs with the luxury jewelry house to make beautiful Air Force 1 shoes.)

Admittedly, these shoes are just dusted with "Dusty Cactus," as this Air Max Craze really leans harder into what Nike calls "Smokey Blue," but hey, why not both?

The laceless Nike Air Max Craze’s upper wears a leather overlay and zipper closure above a air-cushioned midsole.

But the fun really starts at the back with the Air Max Craze's wraparound heel stabilizer, where the open back gives the shoe a breezy sandal vibe while the zipped shroud folds in a futuristic element. 

The Air Max Craze first hit the scene in 2001, a part of Nike's Alpha Project division, a short-lived performance-focused initiative designed to innovate across various Nike verticals.

The Alpha Project didn't really take off but the shoes created during its tenure were forward-looking enough to be reborn nearly 25 years later and look as modern as ever.

Available online May 16 for €169 (about $190),  this Air Max Craze is proof of Nike pushing the Dusty Cactus agenda pretty heavily lately. Recent inductees to Nike’s  "Tiffany" brigade include the Nike Air Max TL 2.5 and the Nike Air Max 90.

The Air Max Craze, though, is hands down the most unorthodox Tiffany-coded sneaker in Nike’s arsenal. It has no back, no laces, just Tiffany-coated aura and a Sunder-like ambiance. Crazy.

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