Although it shouldn’t be like that, because the real meaning of the word, what really is an icon has become something quite subjective.
But, leaving aside the immoderate use that is made of it, there are people or symbols that are, without a doubt, more icons than others.
Icons that have earned this title for years of history, for a strong and recognizable identity and because, despite everything and everyone, they are timeless.
This is the case with Nike Air Force 1 which, although in some detail it has changed, has remained true to its DNA since 1982, the year in which it debuted.
That’s probably why Nike decided to give it a tribute made of 12 illustrations that visually tell its story, from the beginning until today.
Take a look here!
Nike debuts the Air Force 1
The shoe is quickly adopted by some of the NBA’s most high-profile big men
Nike introduces the AF1 Low
Nike planned to discontinue the model, but thanks to Baltimore’s enthusiastic wearers — and local retailers’ “Color of the Month Club,” to encourage new colorways — the AF1 lived on.
The AF1 mid hits in the mid-90s (so too did the jewel Swoosh, seen here); in 2001, a slew of new colorways flood the international market.
Nike introduces women’s sizing to the AF1.
Collaborations explode in the mid-aughts
At the same time, consumers turn collaborators with NikeiD.
High-tech uppers — made with proprietary materials such as Foamposite, Hyperfuse, Liquid Metal and Flyknit — hit the market.
The silhouette is frequently re-envisioned by major fashion houses and Nike designers alike.
Nike pays homage to the AF1’s 35th anniversary with white-on-white collaborations.
The newest iteration of the historic model: the Nike Air Force 1 Utility.
