TOUGH LUCK & THE NIKE AIR MAX TN'S CULTURAL RESONANCE

Since the Nike Air Max Plus — or TN, as it’s commonly known — shot onto the scene in 1998 with hyper-progressive energy, it’s been cemented in subcultural movements throughout the globe, with a particular palpable resonance in the underground music movements of the UK.

Tough Luck — “a community-based platform that spotlights up and coming youth culture photographers from around the world”, says founder Jordan Taylor — is heavily immersed in this subculture, something which END. and the platform have come together to celebrate. In light of that, we met up with Tough Luck in the centre of Newcastle outside of our Grey Street flagship, celebrating the TN’s synergy with underground music movements by projecting various images surrounding the store.

When speaking about Tough Luck, founder Jordan said, “predominantly focusing on rave culture, the platform has grown exponentially within the past 2 years with over 40,000 followers on Instagram and over 10,000 on TikTok”. The photography showcased on Tough Luck’s page offers a porthole into the escapism and free-spiritedness synonymous with rave culture, capturing raw, genuine moments of joy and togetherness. “I believe that underground rave photography has the power to capture the energy and excitement of subcultures in a way that mainstream photography often can’t. In a world inundated with curated images, capturing rave culture offers a refreshing departure from the norm. It's a journey into the unfiltered, the unscripted and the unapologetically vivid.”, said Jordan.

Crucial to Tough Luck has been the platform’s immersion in the underground movement of its home city, Newcastle upon Tyne, and the connective fibres it has built with the community at its beating heart. Upon the importance of the city to Tough Luck, Jordan said “In my opinion, the Newcastle scene is going from strength to strength with so many well curated electronic nights popping up in the city such as Shy Bairns, Music Sphere and Pushback, to name a few. Newcastle has a real community feel as it's not the biggest city in the world, therefore I feel like everyone supports one another — whether that be just in attendance or helping with promotion regardless of how big or small the night is”. 

The TN has become symbolic of underground culture in the UK, its bold and uncompromising visuals mirroring the energy and unapologetic nature of youth movements. When speaking about the TN’s resonance with underground youth culture, Jordan said “I feel like the Nike TN has become a symbol/some sort of uniform within youth culture; you go to any rave in the UK and you’re guaranteed to see someone wearing a pair of TNs. Wearing this shoe signals a shared identity and a connection to like-minded individuals who appreciate its cultural significance. This sense of community strengthens the shoe's resonance within these circles”.