Air Max Day: A Beginner’s Guide to Nike's Annual Sneaker Holiday

History of Air Max

Much of Nike’s success is staked on the brand’s innovations in running. Co-founders Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight forged the brand at the University of Oregon’s track and field facilities, where they researched and developed models like the original Nike Moon Shoes.

In 1987, Nike debuted the original Air Max—now known as the Air Max 1—a red-and-white running shoe with a small window in the heel, revealing an Air cushioning bubble. The futuristic shoe was an utter revolution.

But Nike Air wasn’t entirely new at that point. In the mid ’70s, NASA aeronautical engineer Frank Rudy approached Nike, pitching a gas-filled urethane bubble that could replace standard EVA foam cushioning used in footwear. During a visit to Nike’s World Headquarters, Rudy gave Knight a pair of running shoes fitted with a prototype Air-sole unit. The result was the Nike Air Tailwind, the first shoe with Nike Air technology, which made its debut in 1978 at the Honolulu Marathon before becoming available to the public in 1979.

It was architect-turned-designer Tinker Hatfield who later had the idea to show that bubble to the world. Hatfield’s eureka moment was inspired by Paris’ Pompidou Centre, a gallery and venue that has much of its interior features, like ducts, structural components and piping, displayed on the exterior of the building. Inspired by the inside-out architecture, Hatfield pulled back the red curtain on Rudy’s Air bubble, creating the Air Max 1. A year later, Hatfield borrowed Air Max technology for the Air Jordan 3, resulting in the first Jordan sneaker to feature a visible Air bubble.

The Air Max franchise continued to grow off the success of the AM1, along with the importance of Nike’s Air technology. The 95 became the first Air Max model to feature Air cushioning in both the forefoot and heel, while the Air Max 97 boasted the advent of full-length Air across the foot. The Air Max Plus featured Tuned Air, with tailored PSI. In short, with every addition to the Air Max series, the technology grew in stature and purpose.

Today, the Air Max range is recognized globally for both its technical innovations and cultural credibility. In the late ’90s, for instance, Italian ravers and graffiti writers became so fixated on the original Air Max 97 that they gave the shoe its own nickname: “Le Silver.” In France, Air Max Plus and its Tuned Air bubbles garnered their own colloquialism: “La Requin,” or “The Shark,” due to the silhouette’s sharp profile. Back in America, The Game name-dropped Air Max 95s on “Hate It Or Love It,” while Redman spat “Get you steppin’ in your Air Max” on “I’ll Bee Dat.” Likewise, fans of English grime grew up watching their favorite emcees, including Skepta and Dizzee Rascal, laced up in Air Max sneakers.

For a full rundown on the history of Air Max sneakers, visit Running on Air: A History of Nike Air Max.

History of Air Max Day

Air Max Day takes place annually on March 26. The first Air Max Day was held in 2014 and every year since Nike has made the event bigger and better. Today, the holiday is an anticipated date in the sneaker calendar and represents an opportunity for collectors to share their favorite Air Max sneakers. Additionally, Air Max Day is known for its headline-grabbing drops, and Nike makes a point of celebrating the occasion every year with blockbuster releases.

Best Air Max Day Collaborations of All Time

Since Air Max Day was first celebrated in 2014, Nike has honored the occasion with major releases and unexpected collaborations.

2015 marked Nike’s Vote Forward design contest for Air Max Day, which gave designers and creatives around the world the chance to design their very own Air Max model. Selected through a global vote, Sean Wotherspoon’s hybrid design was chosen as the winner, and Wotherspoon introduced his corduroy-laden Air Max 97/1 sneaker the next year. Wotherspoon beat out the likes of Alexandra “miniswoosh” Hackett, Bünyamin Aydin of Les Benjamins, Kyle Ng of Brain Dead and DJ Venus X.

In 2018, Nike launched another design contest called “ON AIR,” focusing on major cities around the world, including New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai. Like 2015’s Vote Forward initiative, the community chose their favorite shoe from each city. The following year, the six winning shoes were released, including the Air Max 97 SH 'Kaleidoscope' by Shanghai’s Cash Ru.  

More recently, 2021 brought the return of a major collaboration when Nike dug into its archives to revive the Dave’s Quality Meats x Nike Air Max 90 'Bacon.'

Air Max Day 2022 Releases
For Air Max Day 2022, Nike celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Air Max 1 with special colorways of the silhouette. For North America, the asymmetrical Air Max 1 'Blueprint' featured a grid pattern on the tongue as a reference to a designer’s most indispensable tool: the drafting grid. Additional details included a blue makeup, right down to the laces and outsole, while asymmetrical Swooshes repeated the grid pattern on the medial side. The lateral side featured blue satin, with a globe logo on the heel of each shoe.

A Europe-exclusive, the Air Max 1 'La Ville-Lumière' paid homage to Paris and one of its most beloved monikers: the City of Light. The shoe’s predominantly white and light-grey tones allow for luminescent material to flicker on the upper. On the tongue, Air Max Day was represented with the date “3.26.” A silver keychain came with the shoe, featuring miniature Swooshes and Air Max 1 charms.

Last up was a Latin America-exclusive, the Air Max 1 'Wabi-Sabi.' The model featured a handmade look, with contrast stitching across mismatched panels on the upper, evoking the Wabi Sabi concept of finding beauty in imperfection. Asymmetrical tags featured on the tongue, with a cracking effect on the midsole and a smirking smiley face located on the heel of each shoe.

In addition to the regionally exclusive Air Max 1s slated for Air Max Day, Nike tapped esteemed Boston retailer Concepts for a psychedelic version of the AM1. Featuring a bricolage, patchwork aesthetic, the Concepts x Nike Air Max 1 SP 'Far Out' boasted an eye-catching mixture of patterns, including paisley, cowhide and woven textiles, all inspired by the styles of the ’60s and ’70s. Mini Swooshes embedded into the design of the upper and a subtle speckled sole completed the collaborative release.

Air Max Day 2025 Releases

For Air Max Day 2025, Nike has confirmed it will release the Air Max Dn8.

Air Max Day FAQ

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