AIR MAX l
RELEASED DATE | 1985
RETAIL | $65
THE AIR MAX l WAS THE BEGINNING FOR THE CLASSIC RUNNING SNEAKER LINE. TINKER HATFIELD’S INSPIRATON FOR THIS GROUNDBREAKING SNEAKER COMES FROM ANOTHER HISTORIC DESIGN. HATFIELD, WHO IS ARCHITECTUALLY TRAINED, USED THE CENTRE POMPIDOU IN PARIS AS DESIGN INSPARATION.
THE CENTRE POMPIDOU FAMOUSLY EXPOSED ALL THE INNER WORKINGS LIKE THE STAIRS AND PIPING AS THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING. TINKER TOOK THAT IDEA AND APPLIED IT BY EXPOSING THE AIR UNIT ON THE SOLE OF THE SNEAKER DESIGN. THE IDEA WAS SO FAR OUT AT THE TIME THAT A NUMBER OF EXECUTIVES AT NIKE WERE AGAINST THE IDEA.
THE SNEAKER WAS AN INSTANT HIT WHEN RELEASED IN 1987. BY 1992 NIKE DECIDED TO RETRO THE SNEAKER FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A FEW CHANGES. FROM 1992 TILL 1996 THEY SWITCHED OUT THE MIDSOLE, OUTSOLE, LEATHER, NYLON AND THE SIDE SWOOSH.
