Of the many Air Max series models, the ” Air Max 95 ” is arguably the biggest revolutionary model. This pair, which even caused a social phenomenon with its novel gradient upper design inspired by the human body, is still immensely popular every time a remake model is released, even more than 20 years after its release. In this issue, we focus on Nike’s ” Air Max 95 ” and introduce its appeal and notable models!
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The “Air Max” was born in 1987 with the innovative design of “visible air.”
Nike’s roots date back to 1964 when Phil Knight, a former track and field athlete at the University of Oregon, started an import and sales business for Onitsuka Tiger. It was in 1971 that the first shoes with the iconic ” Swoosh ” logo design were released. In 1987, designer Tinker Hatfield was inspired by the architectural design of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, where “you can see the inside from the outside. Inspired by the architectural design of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, he developed the Visible Air. The Air Max was released with an air sole called “Max Air Cushioning” that made the air visible. The Air Max quickly made a huge impact on the market due to the novelty of “visible” air and its simple design, and became Nike’s signature series that continues to this day with the introduction of successors and remakes.
The iconic “Air Max 95” high-tech sneaker that impacted the streets with its innovative design
The ” Air Max 95 ” was released in 1995 and was the first pair in the Air series to even visualize the forefoot air. Sergio Lozano, a young designer in his fourth year at Nike at the time, was inspired by a book on human anatomy and designed the shoe based on the image of human skin, muscles, and ribs. The gradient uppers, visible air, and futuristic shapes made the shoe so popular that it became a social phenomenon, triggering the high-tech sneaker boom that followed in the late 1990s. Even today, remakes, reissues, and special editions are highly popular and loved by many footwear enthusiasts. These sneakers are truly worthy of being called timeless masterpieces.
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The “Air Max Hunt,” a social issue that illustrates the popularity of the Air Max in the 90’s.
The Air Max 95 gained explosive popularity with its unprecedented and innovative design, which led to an unusually high premium price tag. Of course, even today, popular sneakers are often pre-priced, but at the time, the Air Max 95 was priced at an incomparably high level. Especially during the three-year period from 1995 to 1998, production could not keep up with demand, and the continued shortage of products also contributed to the soaring prices. At its peak, the price of used Air Max 95s was reportedly several hundred thousand yen, and in some cases, the price of new Air Max 95s was as high as 600,000 yen. Under such circumstances, there were frequent incidents of people wearing Air Max 95s on the streets being attacked, assaulted, and robbed. The “Air Max hunt” or “Max hunt” was often reported in the news and other media, and became a social problem.
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In some cases, the robbed Air Max 95s were taken as the criminals’ personal belongings, while in other cases, they were sold to others. In addition to the robbery of Air Max 95s, thefts such as purse-snatching and the sale of counterfeit Air Max 95s are also rampant. In particular, the sale of counterfeit products was a serious problem, not only because it undermined the value of the brand, but also because it became a source of funding for gangsters. Today, although some degree of pre-pricing is possible, prices are not as extraordinary as they were then. The “Air Max hunt” is a true story that shows the popularity of the Air Max 95 at the time, and is an inseparable episode in the story of this shoe.
The Air Max 95 was the sneaker of choice at the most recent Pitti Uomo
Pitti Uomo was marked by a gradual shift from mainly dress style to more casual coordination. In the last few years, the casual style, as well as the suit or jacket with sneakers on the foot, has become the mainstream. The Air Max 95 has been a stable choice for footwear in this environment. Its innovative design, which sets it apart from other sneakers, is a great way to add a touch of sophistication to your outfits. The Air Max 95 is now the sneaker of choice regardless of style.
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