Air Force you may not have seen before
In 1982, Nike’s leading designer Bruce Kilgore created the famous Air Force 1 sneaker in the style of hiking boots. The canvas ankle strap and chunky outsole stood out from other models such as the Nike Blazer, which gained popularity among basketball players in their day.
The Air Force 1 looked different from the rest of the models with Nike Air technology. In addition, Kilgore announced that the AF1 is the first American company’s footwear to use an anti-slip construction. The manufacturing process used a process in which the upper was pulled tightly over the base and then glued to the midsole, which made it more flexible.
Kilgore rode his pickup truck through US colleges and handed out samples of force to basketball players to see if they were suitable for training. The sneakers were a hit. The designer refined the design and Nike launched an epic Air Force 1 ad campaign in the NBA.
Air Force 1 quickly became popular with athletes. Nike released more color variations, but after a two-year period, the sneakers began to lose their relevance. There were more innovative basketball shoes on the market and the AF1 just couldn’t keep up with its time. The model disappeared from the basketball courts, and it seemed that it would never appear again.
However, the silhouette was given a chance – the sneakers were given new life thanks to the increased popularity in the American cities of Baltimore and New York, where the AF1 was often used as a regular everyday shoe. Gradually, demand spread from city to city, until many requests for Air Force 1 came from stores.
Now, nearly 40 years later, the Air Force 1 is one of the most popular sneakers on the planet. Today we bring you a dozen of iconic colors and collaborations that have made the greatest impact on sneaker culture in general.
Air Force 1 Entourage Undefeated
In one episode of the hit HBO series “Handsome” in 2006, protagonists Vince and the Turtle made a critical mistake familiar to every sneakerhead around the world. They drove to Santa Monica hoping to get their hands on an extremely rare pair of Air Force 1 Entourage Undefeated. But by the time they arrived, it was too late – the stock was over.
At the time of release, it was rumored that the sneaker was created by an artist named “Fukijama”. In fact, the Air Force 1 Entourage Undefeated was designed and laser-cut by Nike designer Mark Smith. Only 100 such pairs were released, half of which went to the creators and participants of the series “Handsome”. This scarcity, along with a connection to one of the biggest TV shows of the 2000s, makes Air Force 1 data some of the best of all time.
Air Force 1 x Off-White MOMA
The collaboration between Off-White and Nike has created another of the most coveted sneakerheads of all time. The pair was part of The Ten, which debuted in the fall of 2017, and sparked an unquenchable demand for the two brands to collaborate. Almost every time they collaborate, the resale market goes berserk. These are some of the most expensive Air Force 1s in history.
The Nike Air Force 1 x Off-White MOMA dominated 2018 unconditionally and resold at $ 5,400. This is impressive and makes this Air Force 1 silhouette one of the best in its category as well.
White Air Force 1’07
Nothing beats a brand new, clean pair of all white sneakers. The white Nike Air Force 1 Lows are some of the best AF1s because they have stood the test of time. They were popular in the 90s for their street culture and remain popular to this day. The fresh appeal as well as the limitless customization options for the all-white AF1 Low have made them one of the best-selling sneakers of all time, elevating them as a monument to sneaker culture.
Air Force 1 Low PlayStation
Musicians and athletes weren’t the only ones to get their own Air Force 1. In honor of the highly anticipated release of the PlayStation 3, Nike teamed up with Sony to create the Nike Air Force 1 Low silhouette in honor of the game console. This patent leather grail was awarded to a select few Sony employees prior to the release of the Sony PS3.
And although the console has made it into the homes of millions of video game fans around the world, hardly any of them got these rare AF1s. Only 150 such pairs were created, each of which had its own individual number.
KITH vx Air Force 1 “Linen”
To celebrate the grand opening of the KITH clothing store in Miami Beach in 2016, Ronnie Feeg revived Air Force 1 “Linen” for the first time in 15 years. This is the best color scheme of the Nike CO.JP project, a series of exclusive Japanese styles that were very popular in the 2000s. The main reason they are considered one of the best Air Force 1s of all time is for their simple yet fun color and quality to a new level. An oily tan leather upper with sleek Atmosphere accents let the design speak for itself.
CLOT x Nike Air Force 1 Low “1World”
As part of the limited edition “1WORLD” in 2009, Nike and Hong Kong-based label CLOT celebrated the Chinese New Year with the release of the CLOT x Nike Air Force 1 Low collaboration “1WORLD”. The almost all-red design was a pivotal moment in CLOT’s creative partnership with Nike. This is the first ever version to feature the signature silk upper that has made the finest Air Force 1s of all time, including many other CLOT collaborations.
Air Force 1 Mark Smith Laser Cashmere
В 2003 году дизайнер Nike Марк Смит внес уникальные изменения в традиционную конструкцию AF1, создав модель Air Force 1 Mark Smith Laser Cashmere. Смит известен своей работой над Laser Project — дизайнерской инициативой, которая позволяет выжигать на коже узоры, а также любые детали дизайна с хирургической точностью.
Вместо фирменной конструкции с кожаными панелями AF1 Laser получили цельный верх с деталями классического дизайна «форсов», нанесенными лазером на материал. Было выпущено всего 200 пар цветовой гаммы Cashmere, что сделало этот выпуск Air Force 1 одним из самых уникальных и редких.
Air Force 1 Low HTM
Hiroshi Fujiwara has partnered with Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and CEO Mark Parker to create one of the brand’s most exciting series: HTM (which stands for Hiroshi, Tinker, Mark). Fujiwara’s goal for HTM was to use premium materials and new colorways, adding a sense of luxury to the sneaker.
The first Nike silhouette to receive a new HTM look was the Air Force 1 Low in 2002. Only 1,500 pairs of each color (black and brown) were produced, highlighting the importance of quality over quantity. In the wake of the first original HTM release, even more deluxe AF1s have been released.
Air Force 1 Chamber of Fear
Hiroshi Fujiwara has partnered with Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and CEO Mark Parker to create one of the brand’s most exciting series: HTM (which stands for Hiroshi, Tinker, Mark). Fujiwara’s goal for HTM was to use premium materials and new colorways, adding a sense of luxury to the sneaker.
The first Nike silhouette to receive a new HTM look was the Air Force 1 Low in 2002. Only 1,500 pairs of each color (black and brown) were produced, highlighting the importance of quality over quantity. In the wake of the first original HTM release, even more deluxe AF1s have been released.
Air Force 1 Chamber of Fear
It’s no secret that hip-hop culture is one of the reasons why Air Force 1 is so popular. From Nelly’s “Air Force One” to Jay-Z’s “Can I Live II”, the most famous hip-hop artists have inspired the rest of the world. calling to wear AF1.
For this, Nike rewarded famous performers with their own models. For example, Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella and others have received their signature sneakers. In collaboration with legendary New York shoe retailer Udi Avshalom, who ran the now defunct Training Camp sneaker chain, Nike created the branded white Air Force 1 with embroidered Roc-A-Fella logos.
Initially, the Air Force 1 Roc-A-Fella did not arrive in retail stores, but was released in a limited edition of 100 pairs as promotional samples. Then, in 2017, the sneakers were finally officially released as part of the AF100 collection in honor of the 35th anniversary of the British radio station BBC 1.
