Browsing the "Tinker Hatfield" Tag
TINKER HATFIELD Tinker Hatfield is a designer at Nike responsible for countless classic sneakers, the likes of which include the Air Jordan III-XV, the Nike Air Max 1, the Nike Air Safari, and many more. Tinker began his career at Nike as an architect, having received his degree in that field from the University of Oregon, later transitioning to sneaker design after his early success.
September 12th, 2012 by John K.
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The term ‘GQ’ has been used to describe the serious sartorialist that pays attention to every possible detail, from the hem of the double-breasted sport-coat to the meticulous fibers of knee-high socks. But are Air Jordans considered ‘GQ’? Do they carry the level of high-fashion importance like some of most well known design-houses in the world? Air Jordan has gone from exiled outcast to basketball icon, but today, the Air Jordan is a darn-near MUST-HAVE in shoe collections around the world. Not sneaker collections, but shoe collections. Finding a pair of Air Jordans sprinkled among fine italian shoes or casual tennis shoes isn’t as far-fetched as it once was, and Tinker Hatfield, the architect behind the greatest Air Jordans (or athletic sneakers) in the history of sneakers deserves the proper credit for penetrating the otherwise uncharted territory of men’s fashion. GQ recently sat down with Tinker and picked his brain bit by bit, so check out the full feature at GQ and let us know if you think Tinker Hatfield deserves mention among the greatest fashion designers of all-time.
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August 16th, 2012 by Brendan Dunne
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1987 was a big year for Nike by all accounts. We were reminded of that just a bit during this 25th anniversary with bringbacks like the Nike Air Safari, but one no doubt more momentous model from that pivotal year has been relatively quiet. That model is the Nike Air Max 1, the Tinker Hatfield designed masterpiece that first introduced the world to the concept of Visible Air which has stayed stuck on the bottom of countless sneakers ever since. And yeah you’ve heard the stories of Tinker’s travels out to France and the skeletal structure of the Pompidou Centre that inspired its bare-all design, but have you seen the building blocks that got the Air Max technology on shelves?
We have. Pictured here is the original patent request for the innovation, described at wordy length without title we know it by today (Although we appreciate the switchup-Nike Viscoelastic Unit Comprised Of A Resilient Gas Inflated Insert Within A Shock Absorbing Foam Material just doesn’t doesn’t have the right ring to it). Interestingly enough it’s not Tinker’s name on the patent papers but first and foremost that of another powerful Nike name: Mark Parker. Click through with us to check out the original sketches that built a legacy of so many sneakers afterwards, complete with the original rationale for the Nike Air Bag that serves as a reminder that once upon a time your Nike Air Max 1′s and the like truly were state of the art and intended for the purposes of running.
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July 25th, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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Nike Basketball continues its march toward the London Olympics and the Dream Team 20th anniversary with another look at a classic design that changed the game. That the Nike Air Raid is the third such entrant from 1992 is an indication of how prolific the Swoosh and particularly designer Tinker Hatfield were that year. And just like Hatfield’s Air Flight Huarache became associated with the Michigan Wolverines, his work with longtime associate Mark Smith on the Air Raid’s X-strapped streetball sensibility came about at a time when multiple cultural movements converged to create a perfect storm. Click through to see the TM of HTM’s sketches, how the Air Raid was built from the ground up to add durability without sacrificing comfort and let us know where this iconic streetball sneaker ranks on your list of the all-time great Nike Basketball styles.
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July 24th, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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Following up on yesterday’s debut, we see the next entrant in Nike Basketball’s ’20 Years’ retrospective pick up right where the Air Force 180 Low left off. That model commonly linked to Charles Barkley could be seen as the first step in Nike embracing the ’90s attitude, and here we see more evidence of Tinker Hatfield’s impeccable timing. Hatfield and assistant Eric Avar saw basketball shorts getting longer, and following the 1980s arms race that had court kicks higher and heavier than ever before, it was simply time for a change. The Nike Air Flight Huarache came onto the scene in 1992 with a neck-breaking ankle cutout to highlight its exoskeletal construction, and their connection to notable ballers of the time including the infamous ‘Fab 5′ Michigan Wolverines makes these an all-time classic. Click through for some words from Tinker himself and a rundown of the OG colorways, and stick with Sneaker News for the next milestone in two decades of Nike Basketball brilliance.
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July 19th, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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The success of Christopher Nolan’s modern trilogy has taken Batman’s popularity to new heights and we’ve seen a variety of Dark Knight-inspired colorways over the past several years, and as the world prepares for the worldwide premiere of The Dark Night Rises at midnight, it’s worth looking back to how the superhero saga and the history of sneakers intertwine. The connections between the Beaverton and the Caped Crusader stretch all the way back to the Tim Burton era of Batman films, when a partnership between Nike and Warner Bros. made it possible to combine Batman with the Jumpman. Costume director Bob Ringwood noted that “’80s sportswear isn’t going to fit in with [Batman's] 1940s look,” so Tinker Hatfield did what he does best and ‘laced’ up the Dark Knight with some of the brand’s most impressive footwear releases to that point.
The original Batman x Nike Air Trainer III was born for Burton’s 1989 film, and with the reception from Michael Keaton and his stuntmen being so overwhelmingly positive, Tinker took the sneaker-boot concept to new heights for ’92′s Batman Returns. For that sequel, Michael Jordan’s first championship-winning silhouette was made into an even more aggressive Batman x Air Jordan VI boot, with a shroud-like addition on the forefoot and an attached boot collar that actually played a role in the entire Batman ensemble. It’s particularly interesting to note Nike/Jordan’s immense influence over pop culture (even the early ’90s Batman figures wore AT3s and AJ6s!), and with last year’s release of the Mag 2011, could Jordan Brand take it a step further and release an Air Jordan VI ‘Dark Knight’?. Click through to see both styles, let us know which you’d pick in a fantasy scenario and stick with Sneaker News for more rare Air Jordans. Photos: NT/DeFY
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April 23rd, 2012 by Brendan Dunne
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Nike’s increasingly prolific philanthropic efforts have proved their willingness to make the world a better place beyond the realm of sportswear. The fight against Parkinson’s in particular is one they’ve showed support for before, most notably in the epic Nike Mag 2011 series of auctions and subsequent donations. This time around they are getting behind Parkinson’s Awareness Month with a communal Nike+ based achievement that will raise $50,000 for the cause upon completion. The goal is for Nike+ FuelBand users to reach 5 million cumulative points through their collective physical activity, one of the most therapeutic things for those struggling with Parkinson’s disease. The efforts are introduced by none other than designer luminary Tinker Hatfield, so hit the jump for the full video breakdown and join the #FIGHTPARKINSONS cause now.
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March 10th, 2012 by John K.
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Jordan Brand has come through with a bit of background info on the upcoming ‘Tinker Hatfield’ version of the Air Jordan 2012 Deluxe. The luxurious black and white colorway is apparently a nod to Hatfield’s original inspiration for the overall design of the sneaker-the Jazz era and accompanying zoot-suit garments. The dragon hit on the back is also clarified, as Tinker himself was born in the year of the dragon. Check out the official images and stick with Sneaker News for the Air Jordan 2012 Delux ‘Tinker Hatfield’ release next Wednesday, March 14th.
Air Jordan 2012 Deluxe
Black/White
484654-010
03/14/12
$223
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February 18th, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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“We always start with performance. We always start with trying to make a better basketball shoe.”
One of the reasons true genius is so rare, is that those capable of bar-setting achievements are very likely to be unable to describe exactly how they got there. In the case of a groundbreaking designer, it’s a bit more likely that they’ll be able to guide you through the process, and in the case of someone with as much experience as Tinker Hatfield, coming up with new neckbreakers is now down to a science. Tinker and Tom Luedeke began the Air Jordan 2012 with superior on-court action in mind, and were able to offer the most complete set of personalization options ever on a basketball shoe, all while incorporating inspiration from Portland’s classic ‘Jumptown’ jazz scene. Click through to hear more of what went into the AJ2012 and stick with Sneaker News for upcoming release dates. via Eastbay
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