Since 2014, Air Max Day has been celebrated every March 26th to celebrate the anniversary of the Air Max 1, designed in 1987 by Tinker Hatfield

Before then no designer had thought of making the Air unit present in Nike sneakers visible. Hatfield's intuition came from the world of architecture. The Center de Pompidou in Paris, designed in the 1970s by Renzo Piano, had an open structure - organic architecture - which showcased all the mechanical parts inside.

Why not apply this concept to a sneaker too - Hatfield thought - and decided to try. The result was truly revolutionary , let's try to understand the reasons together.

Tinker Hatfield with open arms holding her creation: the first Air Max 1 in the white and red color, with "Air Reinvented" written on it Tinker Hatfield <3

In the creation of the Air Max 1, Hatfield expanded the Air Unit ( a kind of cushion) transforming it into the Max Air unit present in the sole of the shoe so that it had much more effective cushioning and decided to make it visible by removing part of the midsole. With the Air Max 1 , Hatfield opens not only a window on the cushioning system in the sneaker but also and above all on the future of Swoosh footwear .

Marion Franklin Rudy, aerospace engineer and inventor of the Air Unit, holding two prototypes of the inner tube later inserted into the Air Max
Air Max 1 with the Air Max system was a turning point in the world of sneakers

1. AIR MAX 1

The first version of the Air Max was made of suede and mesh and the color of the sneaker was quite innovative for the time (even if it may seem quite simple and sober to us).

In fact, before 1987 sneakers were all in darker shades . The Air Max 1 on the other hand were Sport Red because the goal was to be able to recognize them from afar .

Original advertising sneaker of the first Air Max 1 in the white and red color with light passing through the visible Air Unity of the heel

Over the last 32 years, Nike designers have come up with hundreds of stunning models , but each of these owes its existence to the Air Max 1 and Tinker Hatfield . Let's see together what the others are

8 Air Max models that became famous after the release of the Air Max 1

2. AIR MAX 90

The Air Max 90 was created for the first time in 1990 but it is one of the models still very present on the feet of young and old who wear it for an original and sporty style .

Air Max 90 in the white black colorway with light blue inserts such as the Swoosh and the central block of the sole in which the visible Air unit is inserted

The design of the Air Max 90 presents a fluid, light and harmonious aesthetic that makes it particularly recognisable. Even a novice sneakerhead would be able to recognize it!

It is defined as the "little masterpiece in movement" and over time it has been re-proposed in many colorways but has never lost even an element of its original design . The midsole is divided into small front, central and rear compartments which allows the use of different materials. The new features of this model are the multi-lace insert and the Air Sole with greater volume compared to previous models.

3. AIR MAX 95

The Air Max 95 , released in 1995, were the first sneakers to feature Nike Air technology visible in the forefoot .

Nike Air Max 95, Italian design inspired by the states of the earth with upper with horizontal bands and colorway in shades of cold grey. It is the first Nike sneaker to feature a sole with two visible Air Units, one for the heel and one for the forefoot

The cushioning was designed primarily for athletes because it offers two Air units for absolutely superior comfort and support. To create this sneaker, Italian designer Sergio Lozano of Nike was inspired by the layered structure of the earth , bringing out a truly versatile masterpiece worn by many of us.

4. AIR MAX 97

The Air Max 97 features an Air cushioning system visible along the entire length of the shoe . Christian Tresser, the designer who created these sneakers, was inspired in the creation of the upper "by the idea of a drop falling into a body of water and propagating inside the Air Unit".

$Nike Air Max 97, with cushioning system visible along the entire length of the sole. The upper features stitching that creates horizontal sections, inspired by the refraction of waves in a body of water$

The colorways of these shoes are truly endless and we are sure that each of you owns or has owned at least one. The most iconic? Definitely the Silver Bullet .

5. AIR MAX 98

Proposed for the first time in '98, the year of the Air Max 98 was certainly 2018. Twenty years later Nike proposed a variety of colors of these models from the OG to the new patterns to conclude with the limited editions intended for sneakerheads.

Nike Air Max 98, the direct evolution sneaker of the Air Max 97 which has a reinforced and lightened upper with a mix of mesh for the upper area and leather for the lower area.

But what are the technical specifications of this model? In some ways it seems to recall the technology of the Air Max 97 as regards the bubble Air which is arranged along the entire mid sole with visible accessories, the upper on the other hand is new or perhaps a simple improvement given that it is lighter thanks to the use of the mesh which is alternated with leather portions.

6. AIR MAX PLUS

Many of you probably call them Nike "TN", “Shark” or “Shark” nickname due to the striations on the sides resembling the gills of a shark.

Nike Air Max Plus Tuned Air. Sneakers in the black colorway with green inserts, also known as Nike Air Squalo or Shark due to the design of the upper that resembles gills. TN technology is visible in the sole divided into two regions connected by a shock-absorbing polymer

Their real name is Nike Air Max Plus or also TN which means Tuned Air from the name of the technology used. It is a system made up of two opposite hemispheres of polymer which, bouncing against each other, guarantee excellent cushioning. It seems that the country in which this sneaker has been sold the most is Italy .

7. AIR VAPORMAX

The Air VaporMax released for the first time in 2015 on the occasion of Air Max Day were designed by Brett Holts who describes them as the model closest to Nike's original dream of "making people run directly on the air" .

Nike Air Vapormax in the black gold colorway. The Nike sneaker in which the sole is entirely an Air unit, reinforced on the heel and halfway up the front with rubber pads.

The model was a great renewal for the Air Max family. These shoes, designed for running , have also become iconic for lifestyle over time. The sole of the Vapormax is made entirely of air on which the upper rests directly. Comfort is assured, not to mention style.

8. AIR MAX 270

Released for the first time in 2018, the Air Max 270 is a sneaker that was created by designers to give the greatest cushioning ever on the heel. The number 270 stands for the number of degrees of amplitude of the Max Air unit.

Nike Air Max 270 in white colorway, with blue green heel insert. The Air unit of this sneaker is visible on the heel with an amplitude of 270 degrees, from which it takes its name

The upper of the Air Max 270 is made of mesh and guarantees flexibility and breathability . This sneaker was explicitly designed to guarantee the same comfort of a running shoe in a lifestyle sneaker.

9. AIR MAX 720

The Air unit of the Air Max 720 is the highest in Air Max history and is made from approximately 75% recycled production waste . The name of this sneaker comes from the idea that the Air Unit is visible at 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically .

Nike Air Max 720 in the marine blue colorway. A sneaker model with a fluid design inspired by nature with an even larger Air Unit bladder than previous Air Max models that runs around the entire sole

The design of this sneaker is inspired by nature , the colorways represent lava eruptions, the Northern Lights, the Milky Way , the sunset and the sunrise . Perhaps, Nike designers have finally managed to realize their dream of making us walk on clouds .