Like New Year's Eve for the doomsayers or Christmas for the consumerists; Air Max Day has arrived for the sneakerheads. Nike's annual celebration of the Air Max model that came out on 26 March, 1987, will be greeted with special drops. The brand has re-issued grails like the Air Max 90 Bacon but this year's we're looking at a brand new look: the Air Max Dn.
This model was borne out of the R&D look into a new Nike Air unit called "Dynamic Air". This unit is a dual-pressure tubes that give a reactive sensation with every step. Not only is the Air Max Dn imbued with new tech, it's also made out of, at least, 20% recycled content (from post-consumer and/or post-manufactured waste) by weight. The Air Max Dn will boast six colourways.
There are other models specially released for Air Max Day. Models like the Air Max 1 '86, this time the red accents give way to the royal blue ones.
As we look forward to more Air Max Days, let us take a walk down memory lane with a few classic favourites from our local sneakerheads.
"I was 16 when it dropped, and this was a unicorn. I was just gawping at it in Japanese magazines like BOON and Non-no. It was such a fresh, dope, futuristic-looking sneaker. Pity, I never had a chance to cop. If someone were to rock a pair at Far East Plaza on the weekend, it would probably break necks. At that time, I guess they would have gotten a pair from Hong Kong. Finally, I'd gotten my own retro pair in the late 2000s... but it crumbled way too fast. RIP."
"Not only were these a Japan exclusive; they were an eye-catching combination of faux fur that definitely [grab attention] if you wore them out."
"Inspired by the style lines of a water ripple effect and the hues of mountain bikes (which is usually in silver chrome), this iconic pair is extremely versatile to pair with. Whether it’s completing athleisure sporty looks or street style ensembles, the Air Max 97 is just the hyped-up finishing touch you need."
(Editor's note: Animation studio, Laika, is owned by Nike founder Phil Knight and his son, Travis, is Laika’s President and CEO. Limited-edition shoes based on Laika's first four films were made, many were given to friends and family. When Missing Link (Laika's fifth film) was released, the Susan was given a wider release, although, they were quickly sold out. A Friends and Family version was also created, this was even rarer.)
"I love the attention to detail and it was a beautiful way to see the animation translated onto the shoe. It definitely opened my eyes."
"I've followed Sean Wotherspoon on his Round Two journey on YouTube. From how his curation and passion led him to a successful street culture vintage store to working with Nike to getting a shoe to involving the community. And they created a shoe that made so much buzz around the entire world. It made me feel that if [Wotherspoon's] passion, curation and hard work can get him to where he is today, maybe I can as well."
"[This is just] a little reminder that some concepts can just be playful and fun for the sake of it."
"Stash pioneered the artist brand collaboration space. And, in some way, paved the way to allow someone like me to do what I can do today."
