Sneaker News 
Nike’s Air Max 1 “Master” hits stores starting this Saturday in Europe and will release on SNKRS on March 25th. If you don’t know about the shoes just yet, Nike took 10 iconic Air Max 1 releases of the past and stitched them together into a greatest hits mosaic of sorts. While they were on the money with the ten that they chose, the Air Max 1 catalog is so vast that ten others could have been chosen to make up this masterful mash-up. Here are ten other Air Max 1 releases that we chose to be in an alternate “Air Max 1 Master”, and let us know if you agree.
Nike Air Max 1 “Storm”
While not directly inspired by ACG, you can tell that this Air Max 1 had the outdoors in mind. The thicker laces and rugged materials give these the proper hiking boot appeal, but the dark midsole with speckling reminded us of the earlier Nike ACG models.
Nike Air Max 1 “Curry”
The Curry is regarded as one of the best GR releases of the Air Max 1 in history. That rich golden curry brown suede pops even more thanks to the Royal Blue Swoosh, setting the bar for color-blocking in that era. Most of these were available at Nike outlets for insanely low prices, but good lucking finding a brand new pair for less than $400. There are other great Air Max 1s from this era with great color-blocking and materials, but we’ll let the Curry be the representative of that bunch.
Patta x Nike Air Max 1 “Lucky Green”
Patta and Nike dropped four different Air Max 1 collaborations in December of 2009. Three of them followed a simple formula of denim twill uppers on classic mesh with the beloved baby Swoosh at the forefoot. With the Chlorophyll colorway already in use, we’re going with the “Lucky Green”, specifically for the black-on-black baby Swoosh and the dope Patta logo on the heels.
Nike Air Max 1 “Grape”
Believe it or not, the GR releases of the Air Max 1 were just as highly regarded as the collaborations. This “Grape” colorway is actually a women’s only release, but it’s obvious why it’s so widely liked. You can’t go wrong with the simple color-blocking and of course, the baby Swoosh.
Nike Air Max 1 “Urawa Dragons”
This Japan-exclusive celebrated the Urawa Dragons, as made evident by the logo on the heel. While the color-blocking is rather simple and straight forward, the Urawa Dragons Air Max 1 was highly sought-after, throwing back to the days when some gems were never available outside of Japan.
Ben Drury x Nike Air Max 1 “Hold Tight”
Nike collaborated with UK-based artist Ben Drury as pair of the Air U Breathe Pack that included the Air Max 1, Air Max 360, and Air Stab. The Air Max 1 is the jewel of that bunch, featuring a fully reflective mudguard (something rarely done at the time) and one of the best Nike Windrunner jackets EVER. The graphic on the heel and jacket is inspired by the pirate radio scene of London.
Nike Air Max 1 Powerwall “Lemonade”
You either loved Nike’s Powerwall Air Max Collection of 2006, or never heard about it. This super-limited selection of Air Maxes was part Nike’s celebration of the History Of Air, showcasing the entire legacy of designs leading up to the Air Max 360. Most, if not all of the Powerall Air Max 1s are extremely rare and fetch insanely high dollars, but we’re picking the “Lemonade” colorway for the retro-inspired design on the upper quarter.
Nike Air Max 1 Powerwall “BLUE RIBBON SPORTS”
Another gem from the Powerwall set is the “Blue Ribbon Sports” colorway, inspired by Nike’s earliest days. The perfect blend of original mesh, suede, and the shiny mesh was a hit, with the throwback Nike logo on the tongue adding to the historic effect.
HUF x Nike Air Max 1 “Hufquake”
HUF was one of the most influential skate-shops in history (at one point, they carried Supreme). They collaborated with Nike on several front and have several hits under their belt, but for the sake of adding some visual contrast to this alternate “Master” design, we’re going with the “Hufquake” release of 2007. Designed by Benny Gold, this Air Max 1 showcased a cracked pavement pattern on the upper – a tribute to the earthquakes that are firmly entrenched in Bay Area lore. In addition, unique prints like these were almost never done on a Mudguard.
Nike Air Max 1 “Shima Shima”
The “Shima” Pack consisted of the Air Max 1, Dunk High, and Air Trainer 1 in various colorways, but what held it all together were the custom tongues and pinstriped sockliners. Dropping back in 2003, Nike present the Air Max 1 in two ways, and if you never had the chance to hold these in your hands, you’ve never touched buttery suede in your life.
