Biography of nike air force shoe

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Were there a Mount Rushmore for sneakers, the Nike Air Force 1 would be guaranteed one of its four slots.

Reissued sneakers: you can thank the Air Force 1s. Exclusive colorways: extend credit to the same source. The number of pairs sold is in the millions, and thousands of different versions of the sneaker have gone on sale since they debuted in The Air Force 1 has remained a staple for 40 years, enjoying a level of longevity that few wearable objects, let alone sneakers, enjoy.

Below, Footwear News takes you through the history of the Air Force 1, providing you everything you need to know about the iconic model. Inthe most popular version of the Air Force 1 would arrive through a low-top intended even then to draw more lifestyle appeal. Of course, it was only the first that would endure for another 40 years — but the Air Force 1 very easily could have been left behind as well.

Nike discontinued the Air Force 1 inas was eventually the practice for all of its sneakers, except for in Baltimore, where the stores Charley Rudo, Cinderella Shoes, and Downtown Locker Room were able to convince the company to continue supplying them exclusively with new pairs. Seminal sneakerheads would travel from all over the East Coast just to get the limited-edition sneakers that would sell through at a rate of percent.

After witnessing the success of the program, Nike would then bring back the Air Force 1 on a wider basis inmarking the first time it had ever reversed course on a discontinued sneaker. Part of the appeal comes down to the versatility of the blank slate, but an outsized amount of credit has to go to the community of hustlers in New York City.

Given how easy it is to spot any smudge on a pair of all-whites, maintaining a crisp pair at all times became an even more natural flex. However, their appeal spread throughout the five boroughs and the broader East Coast — and hip-hop would go on to showcase and further facilitate an even broader reach. Because rappers often drew their style inspiration from drug dealers, it was only natural for the sneaker to become a staple in the culture.

Other rappers closely associated with the sneakers are Fat Joe and the entire Dipset crew. Throughout this same time, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse also continued to wear the Air Force 1 High sneakers while playing in the NBA — rejecting modern technology in favor for in-game footwear that was already two decades old. Riccardo Tisci, then working at Givenchy, became the first high-fashion designer to be tapped by Nike for collaboration on a sneaker inwhen he transformed the sneaker into a full-on boot while also releasing less extreme versions of the high-top.

The Air Force 1 has essentially never gone away fully, but never has it appeared in as many forms as it does today. Performance use [ edit ]. Aftermarket sales [ edit ]. Lawsuit [ edit ]. In popular culture [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. The New York Times. ISSN Retrieved Retrieved 22 November The Ledger. Archived from the original on Business Week.

Archived from the original on June 24, The history of Nike's Air Force 1s". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 22 October Nike, Inc. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. External links [ edit ]. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nike Air Force. The Ten. Tiempo Total Smith Phyllis Wise. It was around this time that Nike decided to swap out the mesh side panel for leather, creating an even cleaner silhouette.

Biography of nike air force shoe

Nelly dropped an entire song dedicated to the shoe, further solidifying its presence in hip-hop culture. Nike noticed the connection and released a number of Air Force 1 collaborations with different rappers. Perhaps most noteworthy of all collabs was the Roc-A-Fella-branded version, featuring the embroidered logo on the heel and nothing more than the popular all-white colourway.

By the early s, Nike decided to go global and release the Air Force 1 in certain parts of Europe and Asia. Back in the U. These are all massive names in the fashion industry, proving that the Air Force 1 still stands strong to this day. Today, you can choose from a countless number of variations of the Nike Air Force 1. They have the latest Nike Air Force 1 releases along with any other recent trainer releases, as well information on the next drop.

The Air Force 1 has maintained a strong position in many cultures throughout its lifespan. What it owes its success to is hard to pinpoint. They called these sneakers the Nike Lunar Force 1, designed to give people the feeling of walking on the moon. The shoe also featured a zipper and was constructed to help specifically with shock absorption, making them even comfier than its predecessors.

After the Lunar launch, Nike focused on re-imagining their classic white-on-whites to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the AF-1s. They hired a group of artists and designers, including Hip-Hop star Travis Scott, to come up with ideas. The result would be five new custom designs known as the AF collection. Each designer and artist created their own version and all became top sellers from the moment they were released.

With the success of its 35th-anniversary collection, Nike turned its attention to their 40th anniversary. They followed it up by creating a collection that celebrated the shoes' role in art and Hip-Hop culture across the country. A fitting way to pay tribute to those that helped the AF-1 rise to prominence. They released multiple low-top versions, each customized for a specific city whose culture has influenced the AF-1s over the years.

Although 40 years of a single shoe design is beyond impressive, the Nike Air Force line is far from done. With the sneaker having cemented its place in the footwear world, Nike will continue to partner with designers and brands to keep their AF-1 line updated along with the times. They currently have new versions set to debut later this year in partnership with high-end fashion companies like Louis Vuitton and Tiffany and Co.

Many of these are going to be a departure from the original shoe style, signifying that Nike continues to adapt their most infamous creation with the everchanging times and their fanbase. While fur shoes may not be a must-add for sneakerheads, the future is bright for the Air Force line of shoes. With an array of new color combinations and designs, the AF-1's ability to change with the world will keep them in the mainstream of must-have sneakers for years to come.

After launching inthe shoes patented Nike Air Technology helped them gain popularity in the NBA and their style later made them a staple in Hip-Hop culture. The first pair of Nike AF-1s launched in as a biography of nike air force shoe high-top with a revolutionary air cushioning system geared to help basketball players and their performance.

As ofthere are over 2, versions of the Nike AF-1 sneaker in their over 40 year existence, with more to come. For further reading: Complete Divisional Alignment Guide. Our editorial content strives to be highly informative and educational to our audience, especially for visitors who are new or relatively new to analyzing and predicting sporting event results.

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