Nike Air Max 97: Revolution in the Air
Ever since its genesis with the Nike Air Max 1 in 1987, the Air Max family has been built on a revolutionary attitude. Nike was determined to keep pushing the limits of their Air units, making them bigger, stronger, and synonymous with sneaker culture. Air Max was dedicated to creating the future of footwear.
As 2022 marks a major anniversary in the 25th anniversary of the Nike Air Max 97, the brand is taking the opportunity to not only bring back some OG colours, but also rework past favourites for a better future. One example is the reliable ‘Triple Black’ edition that will return with some eco-friendly features underneath its murky exterior.
Since the AM97 is no longer a performance runner, Nike are able to apply some finishes and materials that are more suitable for casual use. Beyond the black on black on black treatment, the insoles depict Nike’s circular Swoosh logo, meaning that this product is in part produced using recycled materials or more environmentally considered options. While the brand doesn’t specify exactly what this entails for the AM97, it’s more than likely the composition of the upper’s leather or synthetic involves some form of recycled material. This could also boil down to finer details like polyester used in the stitching or fabric lining. And with the monochromatic colourway still delivering a tough look, this will only help normalise being green.
It’s unlikely this will be the only Air Max 97 that Nike remake under their revamped environmental banner, so keep an eye out for more colourways to come.
Brand: Nike Model: Air Max 97 "No Bubble" Release Date: 2022 Price: TBC Buy: TBC Editor's
Notes: What’s the most iconic part of a pair of Nike Air Max sneakers? Well, I feel that’s pretty obvious, don’t you? That’d undoubtedly be their once revolutionary Air bubbles.Nike Air Max 97 "No Bubble:" Release Date, Info, Price
While sneaker technology has come leaps and bounds since the early to late 90s when many of Nike’s most iconic Air Max sneakers touched the market, their legacy remains just as strong. Put it this way; if you were to describe or draw a pair of Air Max, whether that be the 90, 95, or 97, you need only mention how many bubbles feature on the silhouette.
A quick glance around the perimeter of the 97, and you’ll find three sets of bubbles - two longer-length ones that sit at the lateral and medial sides, with a shorter version that sits at the rear. These, as well as the sneaker’s Japanese bullet train-inspired upper design, are the defining characteristics that have made the shoe such a celebrated icon over the last two and a half decades.
Well, as we stride through the tail end of the summer, those eta-defining bubbles are getting a contemporary makeover. Essentially, Nike removes the element that makes Air so captivating – its visibility.
The “No Bubble” 97 sees visible Air hidden under a lick of white paint, turning the sole unit into a chunky, textured block. Additional changes have been made at the upper, including a lace toggle and mixed fabrication upper that sees the typically leather and synthetic border switched out for black hairy suede.
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