How Nike Innovated the Nike Max through the Years
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The Air Max is one of Nike’s most recognisable products, and one of their long-running shoe lines. For a company that has consistently produced hit sneakers, the Air Max is a sleeper hit all these years. It has been making a big comeback lately because of the sudden focus on 90s fashion, even with it being called the ‘worst’ fashion era. Tinker Hatfield, the company’s style guru for many years, is responsible for creating several of their best sellers. The ‘visible air’ technology, however, came from David For land. He was the foremost expert in the subject and was working as Nike’s cushioning innovation director when he made the Max prototype. Since then, the legendary shoe has developed to a more stylish and sporty sneaker choice.
Air Max 1 Soles were getting thinner and not thicker, but the Air Max set about going against the trend. Because Nike had the technology, they had scientific reason to be different. Thus, the Max was born, featuring fatter soles. Air Max 90 Nike then had to subscribe to the trend, as manufacturing itself is trending towards thinner profiles. Again, with David Forland at hand, it was possible to create a feeling of walking on air with their trademark Air-Sole units. With less foam, there is less volume and a feeling of walking on thin air. Air Max 180 The third reincarnation of the Max footwear made use of a monumental discovery: the blow moulding manufacturing technique. The 180 was one of the most difficult sneakers to make at the time, and this was the perfect approach to making that dream a possibility.
Air Max 93 The 93 had an effect on the entire sports shoes landscape when it used a cushioning that adapts itself to the shape of the user’s foot. This is the time when the Air Max's air soles were visible in 360 degrees but, at the same time, avoided relying too much on air pressure. It will not be until the Air Max 2015 did Nike released something worth the shoe’s prestigious history. Max air, max flexibility, it might be in the running for one of the best running shoes of the year. The company had taken risk in making the Air Max, something they cannot do with their better selling products. Perhaps this is why the Air Max has established a cult following. Maybe, for all of Nike’s big showings and star sponsors, the one without any flash is the best shoe they have.
Sources: http://5pointz.co.uk http://www.rsvlts.com/2015/03/13/nike-air-max-explained/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342707/Nike-Air-Max-make-comebackTrainers-huge-growth-sales-thanks-celebrity-wearers-return-sportswear.html http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2015/03/nike-air-max-og-patch-pack http://www.theshoerelease.com/nike/nike-air-max-93-is-making-a-comeback/