Side Kicks Streetwear • Global Release Guide
Updated: 29 July 2026
About the release
Nike is bringing the fur back to the Air Force 1 for one of the most tactile executions of the silhouette in years. Officially named the 'Horse of a Different Color', and also referenced as the Technicolor Tale, this Air Force 1 Low wraps the whole upper in thick orange pony hair across a Campfire Orange and Sunset palette. It's the first of three Nike Pony Hair releases arriving this year, and Nike's continued expansion of the Year of the Horse theme after its Lunar New Year spring rollout. Style code IR1940-800.
The build keeps the AF1's familiar shape but flips the material logic entirely. Thick orange pony hair covers every panel of the upper — the toe box, side panels, eyestays, heel, Swoosh — with additional orange leather on the sockliner and tongue back and matching orange laces keeping the tonal story consistent. Underfoot, the shoe breaks up with a white AF1 midsole before reverting to an orange outsole to hold the theme together. Comparisons to the Air Force 1 Low 'Savage Beast' from 2009 — another orange animal-textured AF1 — are already circulating, though this pair uses a softer pony hair execution rather than the OG's spikier faux fur.
UK release is Thursday 13 August 2026 for £130 via Nike SNKRS and select Nike Sportswear retailers.
TL;DR – Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' IR1940-800 Release Date, Price & Where to Buy
- UK release date: Thursday 13 August 2026
- Model: Nike Air Force 1 Low
- Official name: 'Horse of a Different Color' (also referenced as Technicolor Tale)
- Colourway: Campfire Orange / Sunset / White
- Style code: IR1940-800
- UK retail price: £130
- US retail price: $140
- Sizing: Unisex
- Where to buy: Nike SNKRS and select Nike Sportswear retailers
- Key details: Thick orange pony hair covering toe box / side panels / eyestays / heel / Swoosh, orange leather sockliner, orange leather tongue back, orange laces, classic white AF1 midsole, orange outsole, part of Nike's Year of the Horse theme, one of three Pony Hair AF1s dropping this year
- Reference: Nods to the 2009 AF1 'Savage Beast'
Release date and price
The Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' releases in the UK on Thursday 13 August 2026 via Nike SNKRS and select Nike Sportswear retailers. UK retail is £130, with US retail set at $140. Unisex sizing across the run.
This is one of three Pony Hair AF1s scheduled to drop across the year as part of Nike's continued Year of the Horse theming. Given the visual impact of the material and the referential nod to the 2009 'Savage Beast', expect strong SNKRS demand. Historically, texturally distinct AF1s tend to attract collector attention beyond the standard AF1 audience.
Design and details
The AF1 has spent 2026 in a properly experimental phase — square-toe builds, patent denim executions, the '01 build revival, and now a full pony hair treatment. This pair sits at the loudest end of that experimental run, and it lands with genuine referential weight thanks to the 2009 'Savage Beast' shadow it's operating under.
Thick orange pony hair upper
The upper wraps every panel in thick orange faux pony hair — the toe box, side panels, eyestays, heel, and even the Swoosh are all covered. It's a full-material transformation of the AF1, not a partial application. The Campfire Orange and Sunset palette runs across the fur consistently, giving the whole upper a warm, saturated finish that reads even more intense in person than in product photography.
Orange leather detailing
Where the shoe steps away from pony hair, it stays orange. Orange leather handles the sockliner and tongue back, and matching orange laces feed through the eyestays. Even the material change lands in the same colour, keeping the shoe from breaking visually and holding the theme all the way through the interior detailing.
White midsole and orange outsole
The one real break in the colour story sits underfoot. The midsole runs in classic AF1 white, giving the shoe a small visual reset between the loud pony hair upper and the sole. Then the shoe reverts back to orange on the outsole — completing the theme underfoot rather than letting it fade. It's a small structural design choice but it stops the shoe from being one solid orange block.
2009 'Savage Beast' nod
Comparisons to the 2009 Air Force 1 Low 'Savage Beast' are already all over the internet. The 'Savage Beast' also used a heavy animal-inspired texture in a similar orange palette, and while Nike hasn't officially confirmed this pair as a direct successor, the visual link is genuinely obvious. Whether you read this as a spiritual retro or a fresh execution of the same idea, the reference is there — and for collectors who missed the 2009 pair, this is arguably the closest they'll get.
Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' images
Credit: Nike
Year of the Horse, Pony Hair pack and the AF1's textured lineage
2026 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, and Nike has been rolling out horse-themed footwear across the year — starting with a strong Lunar New Year run in spring. The Pony Hair AF1 pack extends that theme into the second half of the year, delivering three distinct Pony Hair AF1 colourways, of which this Campfire Orange pair is the first to get an official release date. Frank Cooke, the Nike designer who previewed the shoe on Instagram earlier in July, has been the source of a run of Nike previews recently — including the First Sight Shadow and the return of the Total Foamposite Max.
Textured animal-inspired Air Force 1s have appeared repeatedly across the silhouette's 43-year history, most notably the 2009 'Savage Beast' which this pair references directly, and various fur-lined winter builds Nike has released in more recent seasons. Compared to those, this Pony Hair execution reads softer and more premium — closer to a fashion object than a novelty release, even though the material is still doing plenty of visual work.
Placed alongside the AF1's ongoing 2026 lineup — the 'Patent Denim', the square-toe Paris Fashion Week previews, the AF1 '01 revival — the Pony Hair pack fits into a genuinely fun era for the shoe. It's material experimentation without abandoning the silhouette's identity.
Where to buy
The Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' releases on Thursday 13 August 2026 for £130 via Nike SNKRS and select Nike Sportswear retailers. Browse the full Air Force 1 collection and other Nike Pony Hair releases on Side Kicks.
FAQ
When is the Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' UK release date?
The Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' releases on Thursday 13 August 2026 via Nike SNKRS and select Nike Sportswear retailers.
How much does the Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Orange Pony Hair' cost in the UK?
UK retail price is £130. US retail is $140.
What is the style code for the AF1 'Orange Pony Hair'?
The style code is IR1940-800. The full colourway is Campfire Orange / Sunset / White. Nike's official name for the release is 'Horse of a Different Color', and it has also been referenced as the Technicolor Tale.
Is the pony hair real?
No. The upper uses a thick faux pony hair material. It's the same visual and tactile effect as pony hair without using animal materials.
Is this a retro of the 2009 'Savage Beast' AF1?
Nike has not officially confirmed the release as a direct successor to the 2009 'Savage Beast', which used a similar orange animal-inspired texture. But the visual link is clear and comparisons are already being drawn across sneaker media. For collectors who missed the 2009 pair, this is the closest release Nike has done since.
Are there other Pony Hair AF1s dropping this year?
Yes. The 'Orange Pony Hair' is one of three Pony Hair AF1 colourways scheduled to release during 2026 as part of Nike's continued Year of the Horse theming. The other two colourways have been previewed but do not yet have confirmed release dates.
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