They say life begins at 40, and if that's true for the Nike Air Force 1 (AF1), the shoe is set to dominate even more in the coming years than it has over the past four decades.
Since its initial release in 1982, the Air Force 1 has become one of the most recognized shoe designs in the world. It's a favorite among everyone from fashion enthusiasts to felons and a consistent bestseller for Nike. In 2023, it was the top-selling athletic footwear in dollars among all brands in the US, according to market research company The NPD Group.
Reports have surfaced of Nike limiting customer purchases of the shoes, which have long been a staple for flippers—people who buy shoes to resell later.
Whether it’s the all-white or all-black versions, or the numerous varieties created through high-profile collaborations between Nike and designers or other companies, the shoe has served as a canvas, with more than 2,000 versions released.
The late Virgil Abloh was a huge fan and a long-time collaborator, announcing 21 Louis Vuitton x AF1 collaborations in the summer of 2021.
“A cultural symbol in its own right, today the Nike Air Force 1 serves as an objet d’art emblematic of self-generated subcultural provenance,” stated the Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2022 show notes. Abloh served as Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director until his death in November 2021.
In February, Sotheby’s auctioned 200 pairs of Abloh’s AF1s, raising $25.3 million, with the proceeds going to the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund.
So, why are they so popular? and how did they become this big?
First steps:
The shoe debuted as a high-top in 1982, and the low tops followed a year later. By that point, the shoe had become a staple of the National Basketball Association in the United States. Nike’s “Air Force 1” promotional campaign featured six stars of the day: Michael Cooper, Moses Malone, Calvin Natt, Jamaal Wilkes, Bobby Jones, and Mychal Thompson.
Soled out:
Despite its success, Nike discontinued the shoe in 1984. However, a handful of stores in Baltimore prevented it from disappearing entirely. They lobbied Nike to supply them with the shoes, and a “Colour of the Month Club” helped the shoe build a cult following along the US east coast. By 1986, the AF1 was back on general release. Nike designer Bruce Kilgore didn’t even know the shoe was still around. “I was in Taiwan in 1987 and had gone to see a factory, and they were telling me about the Air Force 1,” he said in an interview with Nike.com to mark the shoe’s 35th anniversary. “I said, ‘I didn’t realize we were still making it.’ And they said, ‘Yeah, man, we’re always making the Air Force 1.’ I was completely clueless.”
Cult kicks:
By its 25th anniversary in 2007, the AF1’s cult status was solidified, thanks in large part to US rappers. Nelly and his St. Lunatics may have released the track "Air Force Ones," but he was not the first or last to rap about the iconic design. Jay-Z, Shyne, The Lox, G-Unit, and The Diplomats have also praised AF1s in their lyrics.
Shoes associated with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records and Fat Joe’s Terror Squad are among the rap-related limited edition AF1s released. Rappers have boosted AF1 sales with the “one and done” philosophy of ditching the shoes before they get creased, as T.I. recently showed on Instagram. The AF1 was also a shoe associated with the UK grime scene’s early days.
Blank canvas:
Drake was gifted a pair of customized AF1s by British artist Damien Hirst, who had designed the rapper’s Certified Lover Boy album cover. Hirst was not the first to use the $90 shoe as a canvas. The Air Force 1 has also seen life imitating art—if you can call the HBO show "Entourage" art. An AF1 design based on a shoe featured in a storyline where Turtle spends all day tracking down rare kicks was sold for $113,400 at auction in 2021. AF1s are regular auction favorites.
On the court:
Although the Air Force 1 began as a basketball shoe, its use for playing basketball has diminished over the years, with Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse being among the few NBA players to wear it. However, in 2007, Nike recreated its original promotional campaign for the shoe’s 25th anniversary featuring Steve Nash, Rasheed Wallace, Paul Price, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul.
In the courts:
The shoe is more commonly seen in legal battles—Nike has shown itself to be quite litigious over its design. It took designer John Geiger to court over his GF-01 shoe, similar to its actions against Lotas, Drip Creationz, and I Never Heard of You over their customized AF1s. Interestingly, Nike has never sued Bape over its Nigo-designed Bapesta shoes, which bear a strong resemblance to the Air Forces.
Nike has faced its own controversies with recent AF1s, from misspelling its name in Greek to being sued by the US Postal Service for copyright infringement.
Solid footing:
The AF1 has seen plenty of innovation over the years, from different cuts (low, mid-, and high-tops) to incorporating various Nike technologies (Foamposite, Hyperfuse, Liquid Metal, and Flyknit) and luxury versions crafted from materials like anaconda or crocodile leather, some with a $2,000 price tag, and even a vegan version. One of its significant innovations was releasing women’s sizes back in 2001.
Fashion favorites:
The shoes are frequently seen on some of the biggest style icons, including Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Ciara, and Hailey Bieber. Addison Rae, a star on the TikTok short-video platform, also showcases them in videos for her 80 million followers.
The Air Force 1 ranks among the most Instagrammed and most wishlisted shoes, with resellers profiting from the high demand and frequent sell-outs.