Words by Offspring Community member Henry Pedro @Blcklistd
The Nike Air Max 1 is THE essential sneaker for me. Firstly, it's a London sneaker and its importance within London's sneaker culture cannot be understated, despite where the scene is today.
The rise of the Air Max 1 in recent years has come from the anniversary launch back in 2017. The Air Max 1 line was reinvigorated with the return to its original form. The journey of the Air Max 1 has continued with many collaborations and general released pairs that spark creativity and ingenuity.
The Air Max 1 is the shoe I yearned for as a child. Elements of my childhood were spent passing the time staring at the shoe in the Littlewoods catalogue. The classic ‘University Red’ colourway causes all kinds of emotions. The air unit in the shoe creates curiosity and intrigue. Those of a similar age may resonate with my story.
When the news leaked that the Nike Air Max 1 ‘Crepe’ was to return in 2022, my excitement erupted. Finally, the sneaker gods have answered the prayers for all fans of Air Max 1.
I owned the original pair of Nike Air Max 1 ‘Crepe’, which was released in 2004. The shoe in hand at the time looked natural and felt beautiful held in hand. The Crepe 2022 edition is a worthy wait. Everything about this upcoming variant is on point. The shape is as good as it can be. The hemp mesh on the toe-box reinforced for added durability. There is a change of colour on the midsole with the 2022 edition (in comparison to the 2004 version). However, the mix of materials stays true to the original rendition of 2004. It’s the closest you’ll get to the ‘OG’ version. For me, you’ll be crazy to miss out on this pair.
The details described are frequent topics across all variants of the Air Max 1. The pleasures and dismays of upcoming Air Max 1 releases are derived from the passion exhibited for the franchise. Critically, any Air Max 1 fan will tell you the shape is vital. If the form of the shoe isn’t correct, then we have a problem. Even though correcting the condition of the Air Max 1 can be obtained by viewing YouTube tutorials.
So what is the Air Max 1 shape?
The shape or aesthetics is where the toe-box and the mudguard meet the shoes’ sole at a particular angle. You can view the shoe’s distinct profile from either the medial or lateral side. The best example of this beyond the original Air Max 1 from 1987 is the Air Max 1 ‘Made in Thailand’ variants between 1999 till 2009.
With that said, my Nike Air Max 1 grail is ‘Urawa Dragons’ from 2004. A shoe I’ve previously owned and was made in Thailand. To have that shoe in my hands again would be quite something. For now, I'll make do with this tasty ‘Crepe’ on foot.
Check out more from Henry on Instagram @Blcklistd
