Nike Air Force 1

The Nike Air Force 1 debuted in 1982, and soon thereafter was contracted to six of the era’s best NBA players, known as the “Original Six.” Designer Bruce Kilgore’s first shot at a hoops shoe, the Air Force 1 also made history as the first basketball silhouette to bring soft, springy Nike Air cushioning to the courts. While originally conceived as a hiking boot-inspired, ankle-strapped high top, the shoe’s popularity exploded with the release of the Air Force 1 Low, which found a fervent fan base in major cities from Baltimore to D.C. to New York.

Despite its cult following, with new and innovative Nike models taking over the game, the Air Force 1 was slated for retirement in 1984. Luckily, a trio of Baltimore sneaker boutiques interceded to bring AF1s back from the brink. The retailers teamed up with Nike to release exclusive Air Force 1 styles through a pioneering “Color of the Month” club, drawing collectors from around the states. The re-releases sold out almost immediately, laying the groundwork for sneaker culture as we know it – and proving that the people who sell Air Force 1s are as important to their story as those who make and buy them.

The Air Force 1 has long been a staple of Hip Hop culture. In 1988, as the genre entered its “golden age,” E-Z Rock appeared on the cover of the album It Takes Two wearing Nike Air Force 1 trainers customized by the legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan. Nike’s introduction of all-white all-leather Lows – known as white on whites – only increased the shoe’s popularity in the Hip Hop community. The AF1’s status as a cultural emblem was further cemented with Nelly’s hit 2002 single ‘Air Force Ones,’ an anthemic homage to the classic shoe. Exclusive AF1 collabs with Hip Hop royalty, including Jay-Z’s Rocafella Records, Eminem’s Shady Records and Fat Joe’s Terror Squad, served to heighten the Air Force 1’s influence and appeal.

While AF1 mania first took hold stateside, the shoe has long since become a global obsession. Sneakerhead culture has particularly blossomed in Japan, where Nike released several hypeworthy Air Force 1s throughout the early 2000s through its co.jp project. In 2008, Nike leaned into the Air Force 1’s global appeal. The 1World series reimagined the AF1 through innovative collabs with 18 creatives from around the world, including famed graffiti artist KAWS.

In 2022, 40 years since the Air Force 1 was introduced, a culmination of the rich history of the silhouette was realized with the introduction of the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 by Virgil Abloh. Released posthumously, Abloh’s work seamlessly connected the decades of prominence of Nike’s famed sneaker.

Known and loved by many names – Forces, AF1s, Uptowns, Flaves and Harlems, to name a few – Air Force 1s are among Nike’s most iconic and best-selling sneakers. Since 1982, the versatile and effortlessly cool AF1 silhouette has served as a canvas for countless artists and designers, and remains a global fashion and street culture standard.