The Nike Air Max series stands out as the most exclusive and appreciated sneakers series of the Swoosh. Launched in the late ‘80s and growing to become the most influential saga of contemporary footwear, the Air Max project came from legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield. The main credit of the Air Max legacy lies in the ability to combine sport shoes elements with a retro aesthetic, also influencing the pop culture through epoch-making collaborations and exclusive models. The evolution of the whole Air Max series kinda reflects the many changes and innovations that Nike had to face or introduce over the years, maintaining its sportswear background throughout its footwear legacy while adding new influences and testing new technologies. There are Air Max built with a suede upper or using leather, mesh, synthetic textures or Flyknit, and yet the most interesting part remains the sole. The Air Max are known for being the first Nike sneakers provided with a visible Air Unit in the midsole, i.e. a small air cushioning encapsulated in the sole to make the shoes more flexible and absorb contact, first introduced in 1982 with the Air Force 1. A long list of creatives, designers and artists collaborated with Nike on the Air Max to prove the all-around influence of this lineup on fashion and pop culture. Notable names include Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh, Patta, Supreme, Sean Wotherspoon and many others. Along with the Nike Dunk, the Air Max series were among the first shoes to lead people to queue for hours to grab a pair. Some original colorways and trend-setting patterns, like that of the Air Max 1 ‘Safari’, had such a major influence over streetwear to be reissued over and over the years, and many Air Max belong to a long list of retro sneakers the Swoosh is worldwide acclaimed for.