Nike Air Max 1

About

The Nike Air Max 1 released on March 26, 1987, and permanently changed how sneakers are conceived. Tinker Hatfield — who trained as an architect before joining Nike's design team — drew direct inspiration from a visit to the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. The Pompidou building, designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, placed all functional infrastructure on the exterior rather than concealing it inside. Hatfield applied the same principle to footwear: he removed part of the midsole to expose the Air-cushioning unit rather than hide it. The result was the first sneaker to feature a visible air bubble in the sole. Nike's Air technology had been patented in 1979 but had remained concealed in previous models. Hatfield reduced the exposed unit's size from early prototypes after engineers warned that a larger bubble risked cracking in cold temperatures. The final Air Max 1 placed a small visible unit under the heel, delivering responsive cushioning while making the technology the visual centrepiece of the design. Since its 1987 debut, the Air Max 1 has been rereleased continuously and inspired a lineage of Air Max models that remains one of Nike's most commercially significant product families. Air Max Day — celebrated annually on March 26 — marks the anniversary of the original release.