Mini review
Nike Air Force 1 (White/White)
Color: White/White
Intended use: Casual streetwear
Technology: Nike Air sole unit
Upper: Full grain leather with fabric lining
Midsole: White rubber cupsole stitched to upper
Outsole: Solid rubber cup sole construction
Weight: 536 gms for a half pair of UK10/US11
Price: INR 4500
RATINGS (on a scale of 10):
Fit and Comfort: 7.5
Cushioning: 7
Durability: 8
Grip: 7
Value for money: 7
Style quotient: 10
Overall: 7.75
Likes: Use of full grain leather, Nike Air and molded sockliner. Very premium feel.
Dislikes: None.
SUMMARY:
The Nike AF1 is one of the world's most popular shoes, enough to guarantee it a permanent place in the sneaker hall of fame. Feels incredibly rich and premium .The white on white AF1 is a must have if you are into your kicks.
Published: November 10, 2008
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EmailLadies and gentlemen, I present to you - the Air Force I !
The Air Force 1 is Nike's best selling shoe. Ever. It is also a shoe whose silhouette has practically remained unchanged for the last 25 years, and has been produced in almost 2000 different variants till date. The shoe also holds the unbelievable but incredible record of not having any advertisement or marketing money spent on it till just a few years ago. It is also the universal favorite when it comes to customization and collaboration with streetwear actives like Stussy, Aka and Fujiwara. The Japanese streetwear brand, A Bathing Ape (BAPE) has its own version of the Air Force 1 - the BAPEsta's which has unofficial stamp of legitimacy from Nike. Since its launch in 1982~83, the Air Force one has been worn by basketball players, Hip hop stars, graffiti artists, and fashion savvy kids. The Air Force 1 still remains one of the best selling sneakers of all time, perhaps second to only Chuck Taylor All Stars.
So what made the Air Force I one of the most coveted sneakers in the world? A little history should be able to answer that question...
The original Nike Air Force I: It came in an ankle length cut with a Nylon strap, a mesh quarter panel and no perforations (holes) in the toe box.
The year was 1982, and Nike had just launched the Nike Air technology in 1979 in form of the Tailwind. Nike designers were thinking of where to use the air technology next, and a basketball shoe seemed the obvious choice because of the punishing physical stress the foot went through. So Bruce Kilgore, a young designer at Nike, came up with the design of the original Air Force I (see picture above) and in an interview to the 'Sole Collector' magazine, he said that 'he was inspired by a hiking boot' -a shoe called the Nike Approach and had elements which helped in superior ankle support. Not surprisingly, some of the design lines in the AF1 reflect a direct influence from the Approach boot
The Nike AF1 was not only the first basketball shoe to feature Nike Air cushioning, but also incorporated new radical ideas in upper and outsole design. The outsole had a distinctive 'concentric circle' design in the heel and under the ball of the foot, which helped not only in turning quickly, but also in keeping the slippery dust off the sole. The outsole also had a 'star' texture towards the tip of the toe and the heel, which also helped in maintaining a better grip while jumping and landing. The periphery of the outsole had grooves built in for better further slip resistance, and this durable outsole was had a 360 degree stitching to the upper, and the Air Force 1 was probably one of the earliest Nike shoes to adopt such a construction.
And the name itself was an allusion to the US presidential jet, the Air Force I. How fitting.
The base of the Air Force 1: Concentric circle pivot points under the ball of the foot and the heel. The toe and heel area is accentuated with a 'star' texture to minimize slipping.
Stitch 'em up: The white rubber is stitched to the leather upper all around, resulting in a near indestructible package.
The original Air Force 1 came only in Hi cuts, and had a removable nylon strap with Velcro for ankle support. Though this is all very basic stuff in this day and age, the shoe was cutting edge in 1982. The Air Force I was discontinued the next year, and it led to an unnatural demand for the Air Force I, fueled by consumers who could no longer find the shoe in the store. Ultimately, in 1984, three retailers in Baltimore (Maryland, USA) - Downtown Locker room, Cinderella shoes and Charley Rudo's Sports petitioned Nike to reintroduce the Air Force I, and thus the shoe was reborn in Baltimore. So if Nike had not heeded to the petition back then, they would have lost the opportunity to own one of the best selling shoes in history. But they did listen, and that made all the difference.
The year was '82: An anodized metal lace attachment commemorates the shoe name and the year of launch. Nike says the laces used in theAF1 are stain resistant, but I don't want to contest that claim on a pair of pristine white AF1's.
Most of the early adopters of the Nike Air Force 1 originated from Harlem, a neighborhood in New York known to be the center of the African-American culture and the people who wore them shoes either played basketball, were into the emerging hip hop scene and were just kids who wanted to look the part. The Air Force I had a few nicknames back then, popular out of them being the Nike Uptowns or simply the Nike Airs. The shoe was called the Uptown because no one wore them in Downtown but mostly in Harlem, where the African-Americans stayed and which was called the 'Uptown' neighbourhood. The current day popularity of the shoe was a result of a very gradual evolution; it grew out of New York (Harlem) and Baltimore and then it started its journey into mainstream urban culture as more and more influencers began wearing the Air Force 1's. Also the fact that rag to riches hip hop icon Jay Z (along with Damon Dash) wore these shoes, had a huge positive impact on the following of the Air Force 1. In 2002, hip hop star Nelly and his crew, St. Lunatics released the music video the 'Nike Air Force 1' which eulogized the Nike Air Force 1. It went on to sell 7 million copies. Here is the link to the complete lyrics of the song, and you can watch the music video below:
1720 Views - View Comments (4)
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wooh nice.. i liked d rating thngi..
Finally the AF1 has arrived on solereview and what better than the white on white!!!
I recently bought these.
It is a gr8 shoe,looks uber cool on a pair of blue faded jeans.
It surely makes a lot of heads turn!
oooooooooo nice i to got me 1 of thoes... oops! i mean 2 of thoes ;)
ohhh jeetendra shoes....lol!