Emily Ratajkowski Just Wore the Nike Sneakers That Defined 2002

What's old is new again. Spotted at the airport, Emily Ratajkowski wore an updated version of the Nike Air Monarch, which first launched in 2002. The revamped shoes are dubbed the M2K Tekno sneakers—they sold out after launching in women's sizes in May, but stay tuned for a wider release of all sizes on July 1.

Nike's press release explains the significance of the shoes: "Few people tagged the Nike Air Monarch as retro future on its initial drop in 2002, but four iterations and 16 years later—and classic dad status confirmed—the shoe's influence on contemporary culture is evident."

Nike designer Jin Hong went on to explain how influential the shoes remain to this day. "There is no question that Monarch defines the look of the early 2000s, and after 16 years, it has emerged as one the most iconic lines of that era," he said in the press release. Scroll down to see how Emily Ratajkowski styled them for the airport and the beach.

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(Image credit: Nikos/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

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Associate Director, Fashion News

Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern over 13 years ago—back when the site only published a single story per day. (Who What Wear has since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC, which is how she ended up moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Diego. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2016, where she currently holds the title of Associate Director of Fashion News (as well as the unofficial title of resident royal expert—in case you haven't noticed her numerous Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton stories). She spends her days trying to incorporate her idols, Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, into as many stories as possible. Outside of work, she loves tennis, classic rock, traveling, and smothering her dog with affection.