To celebrate 25 years of the iconic Nike Air Max shoe, and the continuous evolution of a collection of classics, Nike has partnered with five London creatives to launch ʻAir Max Reinventʼ. Influenced by shoe design, heritage imagery and the cultures into which the shoes were born, the artists have produced their own creative reinterpretations of some of the most influential sportswear products from the last three decades.
Each of the five unique designs will be displayed at the Nike Air Max Reinvent exhibition at the Hoxton Arches from the 29th – 31st March 2013. Attendees will also be able to take away their own copy of the limited edition fanzine, which will feature a one of a kind, hand painted still from Matt Boxʼs Air Max 1 animation. Take a look at what each design collaboration has produced, below.
AIR MAX 1 // MATT BOX
Animator Matt Box has reinvented the Air Max 1, the first shoe of the Air Max family released in 1987. Taking two vintage Air Max 1 adverts to inspire the beginning and the end frames of his work, Matt has created a hand painted watercolour animation that demonstrates the development of the Air Max 1 from an 80s running shoe to a sneaker icon in modern culture. His work illustrates how the style of the shoe has remained the same since 1987, while everything in London has continued to change.
AIR MAX 90 // BRUNO DRUMMOND + GEMMA TICKLE
Set design and photography duo, Bruno Drummond and Gemma Tickle, have reinvented the original Air Max 90. The Air Max 90 was famously adopted by the London Rave scene, so Bruno and Gemma have taken the easily identifiable shapes, panels and textures of this model and turned them into a colourful, energetic composition that highlights the design and cultural resonance of the shoe. Their final piece mimics the bold colour pops and graphic language used in 90s rave flyers.
AIR MAX 95 // ROSY NICHOLAS
Stylist and set designer Rosy Nicholas has reinvented the Air Max 95, which has striking and unmistakeable aesthetic, elements of which were inspired by the human body. Referencing the distinctive grey gradients of the original shoe, Rosy has created a small-scale London cityscape that incorporates parts of the body as well as expressions of London architecture in 1995.
AIR MAX 97 // OSCAR BOLTON GREEN
Illustrator Oscar Bolton Green has reinvented the Air Max 97. The silver metallic aesthetic with reflective piping was influenced by the design of the high-speed Japanese bullet train. Referencing the shoeʼs futuristic visual, Oscar created an illustration that fuses London iconography from 1997 with the technology of Japan that inspired the original. The piece features a traditional Japanese bullet train riding on a Union Jack, and also references a London transport seat textile, which was designed shortly before the release of the shoe.
AIR MAX 2013 // SAM COLDY
Graphic artist Sam Coldy has reinvented the Air Max 2013, the newest addition to the Air Max family. Designed specifically for runners, the Air Max 2013 features advanced performance innovations, representing the future of running. Sam Coldy has applied his hyper real style to reflect the futuristic aesthetic of the Air Max 2013, taking inspiration from the vivid colourways and variety of shapes found on the Air Max 2013 to create a series of prints that focus on the impact of the foot while running.