Nike Air Max
Air Max is a revolutionary footwear cushioning technology created by sports athletics brand Nike. The idea of encapsulating Air into a midsole was first thought up by Marion Frank Rudy, an aerospace engineer. He presented his idea to Nike founder Phil Knight in 1977, who was very intrigued by the idea after testing a prototype running shoe. Air cushioning was used in Nike running footwear as far back as 1978 with the Air Tailwind running shoe. However, the Air was not visible as it was embedded into the sole.
Air Max didn’t come into the picture until 1987. Footwear designer Tinker Hatfield introduced the idea of making the Air cushioning visible to the eye, doing so on the Air Max 1 running shoe. At the time, running footwear was extremely plain, so he chose to do something completely different to align with the changing times of pop culture. Since then, a long history of running shoes have released, many named after the year they were released. These shoes are considered extremely important to sneaker culture as many collectors searched far and wide for limited editions and collaborations with Parra, Sean Wotherspoon, and atmos.
Since its inception, the visible Air revolution has expanded beyond running models – including sports like basketball. Many sneakers with a visible Nike Air bubble can be considered “Air Max,” but modified versions of the technology from over the years have launched with different names. The most popular retro sneakers under the line are the AM 1, the Air Max 90, and Air Max 95. Most of Nike Running’s marquee performance shoes no longer rely on the revolutionary technology, opting for a combination of responsive foams, full-length Air units, and Zoom Air bubbles. In 2024, two new models entered the family with the Nike Air Max Plus Drift and Nike Air Max Dn, the latter silhouette receiving a massive spotlight in the first half of the year as it made its official debut.
Nike’s modern offerings are more lifestyle-focused than before, leaving original designs from the game-changing family to enjoy proper retros, limited editions, and special collaborations.
Nike Air Max
The Air Max 95 Arrives In A Fall-Ready “Olive Canvas”
After appearing in everything from a high-top sneakerboot to an alternate take on the classic “Keep Rippin Stop Slippin” makeup over the past few weeks,...
The Nike Air Max 95 OG Returns In An “Aqua” Blend Of Colors
There’s no color combo that’s more quintessentially ’90s than teal and purple. From waxy paper cups to the “Grape” Air Jordan 5s, the bright mix...
Nike Just Dropped A Full “Wheat” Pack For Fall
Fall means wheat sneakers, and nobody does wheat sneakers quite like the Swoosh Brand. Each year when leaves turn from green to yellow and orange...
The Nike Air Max 95 Sneakerboot Returns This Winter In “Dark Russet”
With warm summer afternoons giving way to chilly and wet autumn evenings, many a sneakerhead is forced to re-evaluate their rotation as the seasons change....
The Nike Air Max 95 Essential Is Dropping Soon In A “Comet” Inspired Colorway
Nike has been busy sifting through its OG color scheme archive with frequency as of late, with nods to numerous entrants in Air Max 95s...
Nike Air Max 95 “Keep Rippin’, Stop Slippin’ Is Arriving In Infrared
Nike’s “Keep Rippin Stop Slippin” Air Max 95 was met with a great deal of fanfare from Air Max lovers upon its release earlier this...
The Nike Air Max 95 Ultra SE Gets A “Silver Bullet” Spin
The updated silhouette of Nike’s storied Air Max sneaker from 1995 returns with a remixed version of the classic “Silver Bullet” colorway. In addition to...
Nike Flips the Original Neon Gradient On The Nike Air Max 95
Nike’s propensity for releasing heavily-branded Air Max iterations is only picking up steam as the year winds down. Highlighted by the brand’s Just Do It...
Nike Air Max 95 “Team Red” Is Dropping Soon
Nike’s Air Max 95 has always been a perfect fall silhouette, as its chunky midsole and standout detailing lend themselves well to a rugged cold...