Nike Air Force 1

Air Force 1

In 1982, when the Nike Air Force 1 launched, Nike were relatively small within the basketball scene. They were known for their running expertise but didn’t have as much sway on the basketball courts. To address this, a different type of shoe would need to be conceived, one constructed for explosive jumping, heavy landings and rapid movements. While their Air sole technology seemed like the perfect solution, transitioning it to the court would require plenty of ingenuity.

Nike believed that Bruce Kilgore was the man for the job. Before working with them, he had established himself as an all-American product designer with a distinguished career. This made him the ideal person to create the Air Force 1, a shoe named after the famous American presidential aircraft. 

To craft a high-quality basketball shoe, Kilgore knew he would have to meet the players’ particular performance requirements. Initially, he drew inspiration from the Nike Approach, a sturdy hiking boot whose lower heel curved up and in towards the Achilles tendon. This feature was brought across to the Air Force 1 to provide flexibility without compromising on strength, while a proprioceptive strap further bolstered the ankle protection. The basketball players’ traction needs were also met through a series of specialised circular structures on the rubber outsole that enabled them to change direction with unrivalled speed.

Kilgore’s design was inspired by architecture as well. The physics of Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral led to a durable cupsole being added – something rarely seen on the basketball shoes of the time – that balanced out the extra height provided by the air cushioning in the sole. These varied influences were backed up by cleverly thought out elements such as a variable width lacing system which pulled the upper tighter into the foot for a close fit and great control. All in all, Bruce’s finished product fused his minimalist design ethos with Nike’s technological might to produce an innovative, stylish shoe that introduced Nike Air into the sport of basketball. Before long, highly regarded NBA players had taken note of the Air Force 1, and it soon became the primary choice for many of them.

As well as delivering an enhanced basketball shoe, the Nike Air Force 1 established several important phenomena in sneaker culture. It was the first shoe to introduce collaborations and limited run releases, which are now commonplace across the world of sneakers. The Air Force 1 also made history in becoming the first Nike collection to include a retro design. Such creativity clearly sparked the imagination as, over the decades, it has been reimagined both by Nike’s footwear creatives and by those at high-end fashion brands.

But things didn’t always go so smoothly. In 1984, there was a real possibility that the AF1 would be discontinued. However, the East Coast fans, particularly those in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, whose youth had nicknamed them “Uptowns”, wanted to keep the Air Force 1 going. If it hadn’t been for their passion combined with three Baltimore retailers devising the “Colour of the Month Club” initiative, Nike’s enthusiasm for the model may never have been reignited.

Throughout its lifetime, the AF1 has featured Nike’s greatest materials and technologies, ultimately establishing itself as a mainstay of street culture. A diverse range of people have favoured the sneaker – renowned for its timeless white-on-white style – from hip-hop artists to the dapper youth and the basketball players it was originally made for. This remarkable popularity together with its esteemed history have made the Nike Air Force 1 a truly iconic shoe.