The History of the Air Force 1

Before the AF1 was released, basketball shoes were about as basic as they come. Players were accustomed to wearing three, four, maybe even five pairs of socks to help soften the blow of landing on concrete.

To create a more supportive shoe, Air Force 1 designer Bruce Kilgore took inspiration from a Nike hiking boot called the Approach. Because hiking involves strenuous up-and-down motions, the Approach had a lowered back heel, helping to alleviate pressure on the Achilles tendons. It made sense to Kilgore to apply some of that thinking for basketball players.

Upon the AF1’s release in late October 1982, Nike announced that the shoes cushioned shock 30 percent better and were 20 percent more resilient than a standard shoe. Once players took them to the court, they fell in love.

This early ’80s print ad features a flying Air Force 1 shoe and showcases a cutaway view of the Air Sole unit — the exceptionally comfortable technology that was designed to help players soar.

In 1985, the shoe began to cross over into lifestyle wear as well. Beginning in late 1985, the Air Force 1 (along with the Cortez) was sold in limited quantities in the "Shoe of the Month" program, in which a handful of stores sold a limited supply of colorways and sold them out almost instantly. These retailers were thoughtfully selected and added street credibility to the shoes and the brand. Typically, the Shoe of the Month Club offered a high-top design for winter and a low-top when the weather warmed up.

So, even though the AF1 barely changed throughout the ’80s and ’90s, how did it stay so squarely in the public eye? The answer: impactful marketing and an even better product. Aside from a smattering of original ads introducing the shoe, Nike let the streets do the talking.

Expanding on collector-fueled enthusiasm, Nike collaborated with artists and fashion-forward thinkers to deliver new collections with everything from laser etching to crocodile skin finishes.

The AF1s are by far Nike's best-selling shoe of all time. As the popularity of basketball grew and hip-hop took off in the 1980s, the two became intertwined. Ballers and non-ballers alike coveted and collected the shoe, building the culture known today as “sneakerheads.”