Air Maxes Are For Everyone

The rich tapestry of contemporary sneaker culture is propped up by a handful of ultra-successful families, most of which stem from Nike, and few of which loom as large as the Air Max clan. Beginning life in 1987 under the revered creative hand of Tinker Hatfield, Nike’s Air Max line has grown to become an all-encompassing hub for any of your sneaker needs.

While retro icons like the Air Max 90 or Air Max 95 remain central players in the scene, what’s perhaps most impressive about the Air Max family is that the pace has never slowed down. Every year sees new additions like the Air Max Muse or Air Max TL 2.5 which inject the range with a sense of lively modernity.

What it boils down to is that if you could only wear one sneaker line for the rest of your life, you’d be a fool not to pick Nike Air Max. Below are 10 selections that prove there will always be a Nike Air Max design for every rotation.

Nike Air Max Muse

The Nike Air Max Muse borrows a bunch of familiar shapes and details from its fellow Air Max designs. But, by exaggerating aspects like the split sole unit that concentrates weight to the heel and forefoot, it lands as a futuristic addition to the Air Max range. This pastel colorway emphasizes the bold proportions of the silhouette.

Nike Air Max 90

The Air Max 90 is a cult icon. Barely changed since it hit shelves back in 1990, it has played a central role in some of the world’s best sneaker collections for decades. Dressed in Nike’s inimitable Neon colorway, this pair nods to the brand’s long history of unmistakable palettes.

Nike Air Max TL 2.5

For ’90s sneakerheads, the Nike Air Max TL 2.5 will feel like a nostalgic old friend. Although the silhouette originally dropped in the late ’90s, this version sees the design updated for the modern day without losing any of its technical charm.

Nike Air Max Plus

Few shoes look as mean as the Nike Air Max Plus. Streamlined and sporty, this silhouette is a blessing to style. Dress it up with tailored trousers for a high-low look, or pair it with swim shorts for hot summer days. Either way, it looks at home with this gradient color palette.

Nike Air Max 95 Big Bubble

The layered upper of the Air Max 95 makes the shoe the perfect canvas for interesting colorways. Take this soft pink version as proof. Subtle stps in color give a soft transition to the upper which runs from dusty pink to off-white.

Nike Air Max Plus

Yet more proof, if you even needed it at this point, that Nike’s Neon colorway is one of the best to have ever existed. Simple and yet attention-grabbing, the highlighter yellow flashes jump from the backdrop of grey and black.

Nike Air Max 95 Big Bubble

While the pink version above exemplified the color possibilities of the Air Max 95, this pair proves the silhouette’s ability to make an impact without the help of color. Blacks and greys highlight the brutalist arrangement of the silhouette which remains one of the Swoosh’s most hard-wearing sneakers.

Nike Air Max 90

If you’re in the market for a pair of versatile sneakers, you can’t do much better than this pair of Nike Air Max 90s in Light Army, AKA. khaki. The restrained finish means that they’re super easy to style; a case study in how to design the ideal daily driver.

Nike Air Max TL 2.5

There’s a beautiful tension between the technical construction of the TL 2.5 and the elegant neutrals of this colorway. While softening the sharp edges of the design, the colorway also underlines them, proving that sometimes the best colorways are the most simple.

Nike Air Max 95 Big Bubble ‘OG’

The Air Max 95 has had a resurgence lately, thanks in no small part to the new ‘Big Bubble’ selection which reverts to the original shape of the shoe with a large Air Max bubble to the heel. This OG colorway highlights the timeless silhouette with a clean blue finish.

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