'Nike Air Max 90 sneakers'

Nike Air Max 90 - the most popular sneaker of the Air Max family

The Air Max 90 could be confused with the Air Max 1. Both models differ essentially only in one detail. In fact, the 90s model is now more popular than the Air Max 1, especially among women.

The Nike Air Max 90 is one of the best known models in the Nike Air Max line. It was released in 1990, 3 years after the debut of the famous Nike Air Max 1. Like this first model from 1987, the famous Nike designer Tinker Hatfield designed the Air Max 90.

The Nike Air Max 90 first appeared in a Colorway, which in the memory of sneaker lovers should forever be associated with this model. The first model had an upper made of grey and black leather, white mesh and highlights in a bright, bright red. This first Colorway was initially called "Hyvent Orange", but was introduced as "Infrared".

Nike's advertising campaigns in the 1990s, some of which are still cult today, certainly contributed to the sneaker's popularity. These include commercials with Ironman actor Mark Allen and tennis pro Andre Agassi.

The development history of the Nike Air Max 90

The Nike Air Max 90 is the evolution of the Nike Air Max 1. Just three years after the introduction of the first Air Max model in 1987, there were already three different versions of the sneaker. In addition to the Air Max 1 and the Air Max 90, there was also the Air Max Light, which had a lighter sole.

Common to all three models is the clearly visible Air Bubble. With the Visible Air concept, Tinker Hatfield wanted to show that the wearer with these shoes really runs on an air cushion. The Air Max 90 has even been available several times with two windows, the second window also makes the Air Bubble in the front shoe visible, which otherwise remains hidden.

The Air Max 90's cushioning air cushion unit was slightly larger than on previous models. This makes the whole sole of the shoe thicker. The Air Max 90 differs from the Air Max 1 mainly by the thicker sole and thus also stronger damping.

The upper shoe of the original model from 1990 consisted of a combination of leather and mesh. In the meantime, the sneaker has also appeared with other upper materials such as velvet or suede.

Designs and Colorways

The original designs from the nineties are still in demand. In addition to the Infrared Colorway from the release year, the Nike Air Max 90 in "Laser Blue" is a true cult sneaker. This colour combination also appeared for the first time in the nineties.

Since the introduction of the model in 1990 new variants have appeared again and again. In 2006, for example, Nike released an Air Max 90 with a 360-degree Air Bubble that was visible from all sides. In 2008 the Air Max 90 Current "Infrared" was released. This model not only had a little more mesh in the upper, which gave it a pleasant airiness, but also a flexible free sole in the forefoot area. Another variant was the Nike Air Max 90 Lunarlon with Lunarlon sole.

The sneaker is now available in numerous variations, for example as a mid-high MID version, as a winter shoe or with a noticeably lighter Ultra sole.

Nike Air Max 90 special editions

In addition, as with all Nike classics, various limited special editions were released, developed in collaboration with hip fashion brands, artists or athletes. The best-known collection items from the Air Max 90 series include the Air Max 90 Bacon by DQM and the Air Max 90 Homegrown by Patta. Some of the most popular special editions in recent years include the Air Max from a collaboration with the Off-White label, the Air Max 90 Anniversary Red Velvet Sneaker with velvet surface and the Flower Edition with flower print from 2016.

Nike Air Max 1 Key data

• Brand: Nike
• Release Year: 1990
• Designer: Tinker Hatfield
• Fit: True to size