The Nike Air Max 95 has been through a lot in its 30 years — the "Neon" original that shocked the world in 1995, the "Silver Bullet" that turned the silhouette into a flex piece, and now the Palace Skateboards collaboration that takes both those references and wraps them into one of the most coherent Air Max drops of 2026. It dropped April 10 via Palace, April 16 via SNKRS — and if you weren't watching, you missed it in real time. Here's everything you need to know.
Who Is Palace Skateboards?
Palace launched in London in 2009, founded by Lev Tanju and a crew of South London skaters who wanted to make skateboarding clothes that didn't look like skateboarding clothes. The brand's aesthetic — irreverent graphics, premium materials, a refusal to take anything too seriously — earned it a cult following that grew into a legitimate streetwear institution. Palace has collaborated with Adidas extensively, producing some of the most sought-after collab pieces of the past decade. But a Nike Air Max collaboration? That's a significant step into different territory.
SneakerNews noted the collaboration represents "a long time coming" — Palace and Nike have had an informal creative relationship for years through individual endorsements and cultural overlap, but this is the first official footwear collaboration between the two. It won't be the last.
The Shoe: Silver Bullet Reborn
The Palace x Nike Air Max 95 (style code IQ7708-095) is built around a metallic silver-to-black spray paint gradient that explicitly references the 1997 Air Max 97 "Silver Bullet" — one of the most mythologised Nike colourways ever. On the 95 silhouette, the effect is different. Where the 97's gradient was smooth and automotive, the 95's stacked layers and visible Air unit create a more complex, almost sculptural read of the same colour story.
The co-branded details are understated by collab standards: a Palace triangle logo on the heel and tongue alongside the Nike Swoosh, without either brand overwhelming the other. Hypebeast described the collaboration as "paying homage to the Air Max 97 Silver Bullet" through the gradient, while keeping the 95 structure fully intact. The retail price was approximately $190 / approximately ₹15,960.
The 25-Piece Apparel Collection
The shoe is actually the smaller part of the story. Palace and Nike released a 25-piece apparel collection alongside the footwear — anchored by a two-piece windcheater in three distinct colourways. The full range includes statement hoodies, T-shirts, shorts, and mesh bibs, all running co-branded Palace x Nike graphics throughout. This is the kind of capsule that Palace does better than almost anyone: enough pieces to build an entire outfit around the shoe without the individual items feeling like throwaway merch.
For Indian streetwear collectors, the apparel is arguably the harder-to-find flex. The shoe comes up on resale regularly; the windcheater in a specific colourway is rarer and more distinctive.
The Air Max 95 in India: A Shoe Worth Understanding
The Air Max 95 has never been the most popular AM silhouette in India — that's always been the 90 and the 270 — but among serious sneakerheads, the 95 holds a specific place. The stacked gradient layers on the upper (designed by Sergio Lozano to mimic the human spine and muscle structure) are unlike anything else in Nike's line-up. You either get it immediately or it takes a few years to click. Once it clicks, you're a 95 person for life.
The Palace collaboration is a strong entry point for Indian consumers who want a premium AM 95 without the generic colourways that dominate Nike's mass-market releases. The silver-to-black gradient is versatile enough to wear with almost anything while being distinctive enough that people who know will know.
How to Buy Now (Post-Drop)
The initial Palace webstore and SNKRS launch is sold through. Your options now:
- StockX — the most reliable authenticated source. At time of writing, the Palace x Air Max 95 is trading at around ₹18,000–₹22,000 depending on size. Size 8–10 US tends to be the easiest to find.
- GOAT — similar to StockX with a slightly different seller pool. Worth comparing listings across both.
- Culture Circle (India) — India's premium authenticated marketplace occasionally stocks collab pieces through its seller network. Check their app.
- Depop and Vinted — for international individual sellers, but authenticate carefully before purchasing.
Verdict
The Palace x Nike Air Max 95 is the right collab at the right time. Both brands are at a cultural high point, the design has genuine storytelling behind it, and the apparel collection elevates the drop beyond a single sneaker release. The ₹18,000+ resale premium is steep, but this is a shoe that will only get harder to find as stock dries up.
If you're a Palace fan and an Air Max 95 person — and you know who you are — find your size now before the window closes. If you're newer to either brand, this is a worthwhile entry point into understanding why both of them matter.
Explore our full Nike collection at SNKRS CART for authentic Nike styles available in India. And if you want the full history of how Air Max became Nike's most enduring franchise, read our deep dive on the story of Nike visible Air.
