Back in the late 80s at Nike’s Oregon campus, two words were on everyone’s lips: Visible Air.
The groundbreaking 1987 Air Max 1 and its successor, the Air Max Light, were letting the world see Nike’s cushioning innovation for itself.
Legendary designer Tinker Hatfield kicked it up a notch when it came time for the third iteration, aiming for a bolder, faster look synonymous with the fashion of the time.
He utilized synthetic microsuede, Duramesh and leather to create paneling on the runner that could accommodate colorways with multiple hues, and surrounded the Air Unit with bright tones to turn heads and draw eyes to the technology.
The OG colorways — ‘Laser Blue’ and ‘Radiant Red’ (later known as ‘Infrared’) for the guys, and ‘Eggplant’ for the ladies — helped set the tone for literally 30 years of collabs, colorways and creativity on the Air Max III, which became known as the Air Max 90 for its 10th birthday.
Fun fact: U.S. President George W. Bush had a custom pair of AM90s called the “Air Pres,” which he’d run in.
Three decades on, Nike is re-releasing the OG ‘Laser Blue’ and ‘Eggplant’ editions in stitch-for-stitch remakes of the original shoes for kicks historians and sneaker lovers alike. They’ll arrive in OG 1990 packaging with the Nike Air hang tag, just like they did 30 years ago.
Whether you’re rocking or stocking, get your hands on a pair of the Nike Air Max III OG at jdsports.com on 10/2.
