Now I’m going to say some things that might be controversial so brace yourselves and don’t shoot the messenger. Now it’s been said that next to the Air Jordan line, the Air max line is the most significant piece of sneaker culture that there is, end of!
I know! I know! Calm down! Calm down! It’s a bold statement and very matter of fact.
Straight away I’m drawn to adidas’s history, the pioneers if you think about it, the first to set sail. But others had entered the seas.
1892 – Keds – First sneakers ever produced.
By 1917 sneakers began to be mass produced and actually got the nickname sneakers because they were so quiet. (Kinda creepy if you think about the times, Jokes!)
1923 – Converse entered the seas and Chuck Taylor’s became the best selling basketball shoe and sneakers were here to stay.
1924 – Adi Dassler (Boss name by the way) created a sneaker named after himself adidas and the brand became the most popular athletic shoe in the world. Little side note: his brother Rudi (their parents were big pimpin when it came to naming their children – Adi & Rudi Dassler, come on!)
So anyway Rudi starts his own brand Puma, you might have heard of them.
But adidas was the brand that took it to another level early days and that has to be recognised.
But we’re here today to talk about the Swoosh! That little engine that could, that little upstart that went on to change the sneaker world, and by changing the game pumped life into all the brands they were up against, and it all started with Air Max. With science they aimed to revolutionise our sneaker experience in a way never done before.
“Nike Air technology consists of pressurised air inside a tough yet flexible bag and provides more flexibility and spring without compromising structure. The Air-Sole units maintain their given form with elasticity, lower impact and keep the shoe snug and lightweight.” – Nike
1978 – Nike Air Tailwind were the first sneakers to use Air cushioning technology, introduced by former NASA engineer Frank Rudy, or as he’s known around JMJ headquarters ‘Rude Bwoy Frank’. ‘One giant step for Nike’
1987 – OK now it gets emotional! It’s Thursday 26th March 1987, I want to say it was a summer’s day, and I’m sure it was somewhere but in London it was freezing as I remember it. (Plus I googled it)
Introducing ‘The Architect’ Tinker Hatfield, let the games begin! Brought In at a make or break time for Nike, and it’s fair to say he saved Nike with what he delivered.
Air Max 1s, one of the greatest shoes ever! It all starts here, the vibe, the respect, the mystique all starts with the Air Max 1s, which by the way still holds its own with all newcomers to the throne.
I’m sure most of you know but if you don’t, i’m an Air Max 1 bubblehead from nineteen longtime, well nineteen eighty seven to be exact, and although more recent projects have drafted me to other leagues in the sneaker world, Air Max 1s were the first sneakers that let me see into their sole and thereby, somehow affected mine.
On Saturday 26th March 2022 JMJ was in the streets spreading the word and representing the cause, doing what we do! Starting outside NikeTown London W1 and moving on to Carnaby Street while streaming live.
My relationship with Air Max began when I bought the Red Air Max 1s pretty much on release day at Olympus Sports, Tottenham Court Road. I’m sure I went on my jacks, remembering it being a quiet experience and that wouldn’t have been possible with the boys to be honest. (We used to have some unbelievable group shopping trips, us lot released on West End with money in our pockets, we got vibes, we got the chat, we got that five finger discount, wink wink, it’s always going to be eventful) But on this occasion I was on a stealth flex.
Kinda mad thinking how easy it was to get them when you think about how hype it is today, people are going mad for average kicks based on the hyped noise around them. Anyway, I’ve got my Air max 1s, I’m on the ends, I’m sure a couple of my boys had them, can’t really remember who, hahahaha!
So more about how they felt on my feet, like nothing before, end of really. Walking on Air for real, these trainers were the ideal product for Nike to take over the world with. Ok got to mention quick, sometimes your Air Max would lose its Air! Especially if that was your one pair of kicks and you wore them all the time, and if you were walking in rain with a busted pair of Air Max’s they were breathing like they were on forty a day. It’s all good Nike, we all family here, we can be honest, you sorted it out in the end.
I didn’t walk on anything else for a while, but the thing about our ends is we are always looking for that next thing and if it’s a different brand, Ewings, Reebok or Avia for example, it doesn’t matter. We were not loyal to any brands like that, still ain’t really, if we thought something would work we would try it on for size, only the fly shit stuck around and Air Max 1s hasn’t ever left the arena as one the all-time heavyweight champions!
Of course amongst all of the above adidas was doing their thing, and mainly with the Zx Range. On my manor ZX was killin it, KILLIN IT! In the Earnerton, gwan money mad dayz, the uniform included a pair of Zx, preferably 730s, 930s or Questar In the early days. Then later the royal family, Zx 7000s, 8000s and ok you can include 9000s to complete the set but it was all about the first two for me. Yeah heavy weighter no doubt.
But we are here today to talk about the Max, it’s AIR MAX WEEK and the Air Max 1s came along back In 1987 and shocked the world, it wasn’t a straight away thing, people saw them on other people and said Oi Oi! Let me check those out, they tried them on and that was it! (and of course Nike’s groundbreaking marketing campaigns didn’t do them any harm)
For me Air Max, especially Air Max 1s capture the past and the future In one silhouette, and for that reason they will live on forever.
