March 26th marks Nike’s Air Max Day, the eighth celebration of the kind since its inauguration back in 2014. Another exciting slate of releases is scheduled for this year, one being the “Blueprint” design, an homage to the shoe that kickstarted it all for Nike: the Air Max 1.
The Air Max 1 was released 35 years earlier on March 26th, 1987, designed by Tinker Hatfield, Nike’s current Vice President for Design and Special Projects. Hatfield’s Air Max 1 design was the first to showcase the translucent bubble sole displaying Nike’s airbag unit, a first of its kind for the time.
Nike Air Max Day History
In 2014, Nike would re-release Hatfield’s original design for the inauguration of Air Max Day to celebrate one of their most popular shoes through the years. The shoe was, for the most part, a replica of its original forefather, with the biggest difference being the “3.26” date print on the tongue of the shoe and a neon green sole. Nike would continue the tradition every 3/26 since 2014, snowballing into much bigger releases with events in tow – Air Max Con being one that shoe connoisseurs flock to attend each year.
Air Max Con features a ton of stuff celebrating the shoe, including art from renowned artists, SNKRS releases exclusive to the con, and a ton of Air Max 1 designs on display. The Air Max 1 sparked a generation of sneakerheads who found themselves in the midst of a chase for an ever-evolving shoe. The hype only continues to grow with those same sneakerheads itching for the latest design.
Nike Air Max 1 Releases for Air Max Day 2022
2022 marks the 35th anniversary of the Air Max 1, and Nike is celebrating it with three brand new designs for shoe collectors all over.
The “Wabi-Sabi”, is a take on the Air Max 1 that pays tribute to traditional Japanese aesthetics with a “hint of re-imagined Americana”. The shoe utilizes earthy tones with a hint of Gold, crossing American textiles with Japanese craft that brilliantly celebrates both cultures. The shoe also features cracked graphics on the midsoles, exposed stitching, and a gum rubber sole.
The “La Ville Lumière”, an homage to Paris, aka, “The City of Light”, is crafted together with the neutral color of Grey, White, Metallic Silver, and Black. The colors represent the “fashion and tradition” within the city. The shoe has a final touch of iridescent paneled overlays that make the entire thing pop as a bright city should.
The “Blueprint” is Nike’s take on how the Air Max 1 became the blueprint for countless shoes that followed after Hatfield’s original dropped. With a Dark Marina and Dutch Blue colors boldly sticking out amongst its white counterparts, the Blueprint is very clearly addressing how legendary the Air Max 1 is after all these years. The Swoosh showcases actually line that you’d see on a blueprint, while the heel showcases a globe – signifying just how important the Air Max 1 has been for Nike.
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