It’s hard to believe that the Nike Air Max 97 is turning 27 this year. Created by the legendary Christian Tresser, who eventually went on to work on other iconic sneakers with Salomon and – unbeknownst to many – Yeezy, the Air Max silhouette still looks ridiculously futuristic even by today’s standards. With its sleek lines and swooping curves, there’s nothing else quite like it out there, and it’ll forever be etched on the halls of Nike history as one of the greatest trainer designs of all-time.
Whether you’re a hardcore AM97 collector or you’re looking for your very first pair, there’s a lot that we can learn from in. So in this brand new segment from Captain Creps, we’ll be going through five things that you probably didn’t know about the Nike Air Max 97. So pull up your shoelaces, and let’s get to it!
The Nike Air Max 97 was revealed a whole decade after Air Max technology was introduced. And while this cushioning system was already on hundreds and hundreds of sneakers by this time, the AM97 was the first pair ever to feature a full-length Air unit. This was revolutionary as it offered unrivalled comfort for your entire foot, rather than just the heel area. The design would later be implemented into the Air Max 98 as well as a plethora of other models. But there’s no question that the OG did it best.
If you ask any sneakerhead what the Nike Air Max 97 was inspired by, we guarantee that 95% of them will start going on and on about bullet trains and Tresser’s love for Japanese culture. But in reality, the upper of the shoe was actually a nod to water ripples. It doesn’t sound as impressive for sure, but when you really look at a pair of AM97s, you’ll immediately spot the similarities. Now, that’s a good pub quiz fact for you.
Something that made the Nike Air Max 97 stand out back in the day were some of the colourways that were available. The “Atlantic Blue” was a massive drop, and the “Silver Bullet” will forever be one of the best trainers in history. But how did Tresser come up with these palettes? Well, while he may not have been obsessed with bullet trains, he was a big fan of another mode of transportation: mountain bikes. All of the OG colours were inspired by these, and they continue to have a huge influence even today.
The Nike Air Max 97 is, obviously, a huge sneaker across the globe. But it was particularly hyped in Italy. Italian sneakerheads love the “Silver Bullet.” In fact, it’s affectionately nicknamed “La Silver” by the locals. In 2016, Nike paid homage the European country’s love of the AM97 by releasing a special “Made in Italy” edition. Of course, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, but these sold out within seconds of releasing.
The Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 is, without a doubt, one of the hottest trainer collabs in the universe. But while many believe that this was the first time the AM97 received the hybrid treatment, this isn’t entirely true. Over its almost three-decade-long history, it’s been remixed with a bunch of other legendary silhouettes including the Air Force 1, the Air Max 90, the Air Max Plus, and the Humara, to name a few.
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