Riccardo Tisci and Nike have a history of dropping game-changing sneaker collaborations. But this time, they’re ditching the soles and stepping into the luxury handbag aisle. After a seven-year break, the duo has reunited. When Nike and Tisci first teamed up in 2014, the formula was clear: take an iconic sneaker silhouette, inject it with the Italian designer’s signature high-fashion aesthetic, and watch the hype train roll in. From ‘Air Force 1 to ‘Air Max 97s, Tisci’s Nike collaborations embraced the kind of bold, graphic-heavy design that mirrored his work at Givenchy and Burberry. But 2025’s reunion is playing a different game.
Rather than another covetable sneaker, Tisci and Nike’s latest collaboration has birthed not sneakers but a handbag. Enter The ‘Mercer’ Bag, a $500 leather creation that marks the first product from Nike and Tisci’s renewed collaboration after a seven-year hiatus. The Mercer Bag is an all-black, pebbled leather handbag with a streamlined silhouette and subtle gold hardware. The branding is minimal: a tonal Nike Swoosh is embossed across the flap, and Tisci’s “R.T.” monogram appears in gold on the strap and bag corner. It’s clean, quiet, and—dare we say—decidedly grown-up.
The shift from sneakers to handbags isn’t random. In recent years, luxury bags—particularly for men—have skyrocketed in popularity. According to luxury resale platform The RealReal, searches for men’s handbags shot up 900% year-over-year in 2024. Meanwhile, sneaker fatigue has set in, with even Nike struggling to maintain the same level of demand for its once-unbeatable hype drops.
This shift explains why Nike is looking beyond footwear. The ‘Mercer’ Bag is part of a broader strategy to tap into the booming luxury accessories market. The ‘Mercer’ Bag suggests that the brand is testing the waters for a new kind ofluxury consumer—one who still values the Swoosh but isn’t looking to chase sneaker releases every weekend.
As for what’s next? While details remain under wraps, the ‘Mercer’ Bag could be just the first drop in a larger Tisci x Nike collection.
