![]() It was then that the idea came to him: what if the ideal shoe was buried in the earth and gradually uncovered as the rain washed away strips of mud from around it? Lozano produced a quick sketch based on the notion. Looking out across the water to the bank beyond, his imagination began to picture the earth being eroded away by the falling rain. With a desire to take the Air Max in an entirely new direction and Hatfield’s words ringing in his ears, Lozano contemplated the lake on the campus of Nike’s Worldwide Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. One thing in particular stood out in Lozano’s mind from his time with the legendary designer: his emphasis on the importance of story. Having worked at Nike for a few years already, Lozano had encountered Tinker Hatfield, giving him the chance to take inspiration from the great man. Putting this grand ambition in the hands of the promising designer would lead to the creation of the trailblazing Nike Air Max 95. A fresh perspective was exactly what Nike wanted as the brand looked to build a shoe that offered something distinct and completely original. ![]() Having spent the previous four years working on various sporting and ACG models, Lozano was not experienced in designing running shoes, but this suited the project perfectly. Tinker Hatfield had moved on from the line to take on other projects, so the brand brought in young shoe designer Sergio Lozano to lead the team. With the basketball division doing well, Nike focused its attention on reinvigorating its running trainers, which at the time were led by the nascent Air Max series. Kids' pairs sell for between $65 USD (Toddler) and $140 USD (Grade School).At the beginning of the 90s, the rising fame of Michael Jordan had made Nike’s basketball sneakers incredibly popular. Quick Strike, special, and collaborative releases typically range between $170 USD and $190 USD. Pricing for the Air Max 95 varies between size and type of release, with standard pairs for adults usually retailing for $160 USD. Elsewhere, Lozano's design has served as inspiration for the Air Max ZM950, which recently received a collaboration with Japan's atmos. As the trainer celebrates its 25th Anniversary, it's lent the color arrangement to the Jordan 4. Clad in “Black/Volt/Medium Ash/Dark Pewter”, the debut colorway received some pushback pre-production, but went on to define the bold color palettes of the era. Yet, the most beloved release has been the original Air Max 95. Since 1995, the silhouette has undergone both minor and major updates, dressed up in hundreds of colorways, and become a cult-classic across Europe and Asia. Ultimately, Lozano's design was green-lit, but ran into production-related issues because of the 3M™ Scotchlite™ accents on its upper and forefoot Air Max unit. Other concerns included the first-ever visible Air window in the forefoot, unconventional layered gradient, and black outsole. For starters, it had none-to-little Swoosh branding. While Lozano was a fan of his creation after mulling over the design's “Why?”, some individuals at the Swoosh opposed the earliest version of the Air Max 95. Human anatomy also found its way into the silhouette's DNA, as the layered panels are both reminiscent of muscle fibers and flesh and connected to a spine-like heel. In envisioning what a product would look like if it were unearthed by erosion, Lozano began sketching a sneaker with striations like those on the walls of the Grand Canyon. Ironically, the earliest sketch of the shoe was inspired by the scenery outside the window of Lozano's office in the Michael Jordan building on Nike's campus – a sight he turned to on a near-daily basis. In an interview for the sneaker's 20th Anniversary, Lozano shared that the goal in designing the model was to create something Nike – and by extension, the world – hadn't seen before. In trying to reclaim some of the momentum that Tinker Hatfield created with the Air Max 1, Nike's Running design team encouraged Lozano to take a risk and have fun with what would become the Air Max 95. ![]() Given the success of Michael Jordan's Air Jordan collection, basketball was NIKE, Inc.'s primary focus throughout the '90s. As its name suggests, the silhouette debuted in 1995.ĭesigned by Sergio Lozano, whose earliest design work for the Swoosh consisted of Tennis, Training, and ACG products, the model was a visual departure from previous silhouettes in the Air Max line. The Nike Air Max 95 is a widely-recognizable, popular sneaker from NIKE, Inc. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |