When it comes to the sportswear industry, there’s no company that stands out quite like Nike. Ranked as the number one apparel brand in the entire world with a value of over $33 billion, it was founded in 1964 in Beaverton, Oregon and currently has almost 80,000 employees globally.
Many of the most popular trainers of all-time have been created by the American sportswear company, and this has naturally led many people to wonder which of its many silhouettes are the most popular. If that’s a question that’s also been on your mind, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article by Captain Creps, we’re going to tell you which Nike sneakers are the most popular, and go more in-depth with how many pairs are sold every year – so let’s get to it!
Before we look at which Nike shoes are the most popular, let’s check out how many lines they actually make. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say for certain exactly how many models are produced. However, according to the latest estimates, it’s suggested that the Beaverton brand has produced more than 10,000 unique models across the decades. That’s a pretty big number!
Without a doubt, Nike’s best selling trainer is the Nike Air Force 1 range. When you consider just how iconic they are, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Air Force 1s are extremely fashionable and have been since they were first released in 1982. They’re also one helluva basketball shoe too thanks to the Air technology that’s infused within the midsoles.
Currently, there are 35 distinct varieties of the AF1, including the Air Force 1 Low, the Air Force 1 Pixel, and the Air Force 1 Wild. We’re not entirely sure how many pairs of Forces have been sold. That said, market research has shown that around 11 million pairs are sold every single year! This is huge considering Nike only expected to sell around 100,000 pairs in the first year that they released.
Though it’s difficult to say for certain, numerous reports have claimed that Nike sells around 800 million trainers ever year. Sneakers are largely the bread and butter of their business, and the revenue made from selling footwear draws in a massive 66% of the company’s total revenue. The latter 34% is made up of its apparel, accessories, as well as its more experimental projects like its collaboration with RTFKT and the .SWOOSH NFT programme.
While the Nike Air Force 1 line might be the most popular range in Nike’s repertoire, there are numerous other lines that have generated millions in revenue for the company. Here are some of them:
What makes the Nike Air Jordan 1 so special is that they are not only recognisable amongst avid trainer fans, but also to the average person who may not know much about sneakers to begin with. Air Jordans were made in partnership with basketball legend Michael Jordan. This celebrity endorsement has helped to make these easily some of the most popular Nike shoes of all time.
Whenever a new line of AJ1s are released, they often draw in profits over $55 million. In fact, when the first line of Jordans released, over 450,000 pairs sold in the first month. This allowed them to earn over $30 million, despite the company expecting to make just $3 million by the end of Jordan’s contract with the company.
There’s no way you can talk about the most popular Swoosh kicks without giving the Nike Air Max 1 a special shoutout. Designed by Tinker Hatfield back in 1987, it was the first trainer to make use of Air technology, and this same technology is still being implemented into thousands of models even today.
Even though the AM1 has been around for almost 40 years, it still looks incredibly futuristic. That’s because it was inspired by the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which is world-renowned for its avant-garde architecture and deconstructed design.
Believe it or not, the Nike Blazer was originally sold as a basketball shoe, thanks to its wide toe box that made it easy to launch from the spot. However, over the years, the silhouette has now become more popular amongst skateboarders thanks to their durability.
The Blazer is also particularly hyped in the realm of fashion and streetwear, with some of the biggest and best designers all releasing their own versions of it. Virgil Abloh has worked onto a number of Off-White pairs in his time, and even though he is sadly no longer with us, his life and legacy will forever be remembered through these legendary sneakers.
And last but not least, the Nike Dunk is another range of Swoosh sneakers that have become immensely popular not just as sporting footwear, but also as a fashion accessory. First released in 1985, they were originally designed to aid basketball players thanks to their wider toe boxes.
While you may be hard-pressed to find many people wearing them to play basketball, that hasn’t stopped them from being one of the most hyped silhouettes of all time. In 2002, some 17 years after they were initially introduced, the American sportswear company unwrapped the Nike SB Dunk line – and the rest is history.
Since 1982, Nike has been releasing some of the most legendary sneakers ever made. The Nike Air Force 1, in particular, is their most popular pair, with the latest reports showing that they sell around 11 million pairs every single year. While there’s no solid data out there to show how many of the other silhouettes have sold, with the way the trainer game is going, these numbers won’t be coming down anytime soon.
