Air Force 1
The Air Force is a series of sneakers produced by Nike, starting with the Air Force 1 and later the Air Force 2, Air Force 3, Air Force STS, Air Force 5, Air Force XXV and Air Force 09. The Air Force 1 was created by designer Bruce Kilgore and was the first basketball shoe to use Nike Air technology.
Name
Air Force 1
Year
1982
Category
Shoe
Brand
Nike
The shoe is available in low-top, mid-top, and high-top styles. The mid-top comes with an attachment strap. The high-top Air Force 1 has a Velcro strap; the mid-top strap is secured to the shoe while the high-top strap is movable and removable on some versions. While the shoe is available in different colors and color schemes, the most common Air Force 1s are plain white (also known as "white on white") and the second most common is plain black ("black on black").
Another identifying feature of the Air Force 1s is a small medallion that is fixed to the bottom of the laces, but has holes on both sides so it can be slipped off the laces. The medallion is engraved with the words "AF-1" and the year "82" next to it, and is historically made of silver-colored metal. It was originally designed as a circle, but was redesigned for the 25th anniversary of the Air Force 1 in 2007, and the medallion is now rectangular.
By now, the nature of air force 1 has changed, becoming a street trend shoe rather than a basketball shoe in the pure sense. But its influence has never waned, and it has witnessed the rapid development of basketball in the quarter century.
If Nike created the Air Force 1, today the Air Force no longer belongs to Nike alone but has become a symbol of the entire sneaker culture. Today the Air Force 1 is the perfect interpretation of the word retro. Designers have given Air Force 1 a new soul with new colors and patterns. It has become a must-have shoe for young people to wear on a daily basis.
Likewise, the Air Force 1 has become a favorite among sneaker collectors and is often referred to as the sneakerhead. Certain rare styles can command prices that are several times their retail value.
