Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Air, the NikeLab Vision-AIRS program for Air Max Day (March 26th) features a trio of collaborators — each an expert in his respective field — who present their individual take on Nike Air. First up is industrial design icon Marc Newson, whose NikeLab Air VaporMax incorporates a lightweight silhouette inspired by traditional moccasin construction. The upper blends Flyknit paneling and a full-grain leather chassis, fitted with a wide Velcro strap across the midfoot and a breakthrough Nike VaporMax Air unit below, delivering a responsive underfoot feel.
Fashion legend Riccardo Tisci updates the Air Max 97, now featuring a mid-cut silhouette inspired by Italian couture and contemporary street style alike. The black coloring on the upper — made up of tumbled synthetic leather and synthetic suede underlays — offers a stark contrast against the translucent milky white outsole, while the classic tooling is refreshed with foil accents and embossed logos. Rounding out the details is a concealed zip pocket on the tongue, adding an extra bit of functionality.
Finally, Miniwiz CEO and architect Arthur Huang transforms the NikeLab Air Max 1 Ultra 2.0 through the use of new materials and new tooling, creating one of the lightest Air Max 1s ever built. In honoring the concept of encapsulated innovation, Huang made a lightweight package constructed from post-consumer materials, which complement Air Max while also broadening the potential of modern manufacturing.
