BEHIND THE DESIGN

Visible Air cushioning has evolved radically in the past three decades since the Air Max 1. The Air Max 180 introduced 180 degrees of visible Air, followed by the Air Max 93 that brought the new technique of blow-moulding into the process. Thanks to the new technique, full-length, visible Air cushioning would finally become a reality four years later in the Air Max 97.

Nature's most beloved resource would provide designer Christian Tresser with the inspiration behind the upper. "The nature of it was water dropping into a pond. The water would drop and radiate out to the Air unit".

With nods to a silver bullet train, the shoe's iconic Metallic Silver finish took inspiration from another unlikely source. "Mountain bike components and mountain bikes at the time had metal on metal finishes like aluminium and polished titanium", Tresser explained.

Since then, there's been plenty of models that would not have been possible without the birth of full-length, visible Air in the Air Max 97. Innovation that will continue to pave the way for future icons for years to come.