A slight change from our usual concept routine, we decided to have a go designing one of the most recognizable Air Max’s to date, the Air Max 95. Released in 1995, as their name suggests, the Air Max 95’s designer Sergio Lozano was inspired by the lines that erosion creates on rocks. This is reflected in the stripes along each side of the shoe, that open the doors for so many different colorway options. And since the Air Max 95 isn’t available on Nike By You, we went about creating our own Air Max 95 concept ourselves.
Our concept features a synthetic suede covered in contrasting shades of red on the stripes. Its Nike Swoosh is white with a black outline, and the laces are also white. This is paired with a white midsole, a red outsole, and a red-tinted full-length Air unit. Overall, the choice to mostly use white and red prevents the sneaker from being too overbearing. The Air Max 95 is used these days as a casual shoe, and therefore being easily wearable as part of a daily outfit is a key component. But the different shades of red used on the stripes are still able to keep the layering and shape of the sneaker visible.
Of course, red and white have had a strong history when it comes to Air Max sneakers. Back in 1987, the Air Max 1 was released in a red, white, and grey colorway that is now looked back on as one of the most iconic sneakers ever to release. Similarly, the Air Max 90 Infrared’s were potentially the Air Max 90’s most popular colorway. Whilst they may have had an almost orange tinge on release, their retro’s most certainly feature red highlights.
But for such a simple look, very few sneakers have the same color scheme as our concepts. Red and white sneakers are relatively common but rarely do they use multiple shades of red. The closest sneaker to our creation is the Nike Air Max 97 Olympic Pack Red. Featuring similar red stripes on each side and a white midsole, the main difference from our concept is the small touch of black on the outsole and the gold ticks. But as huge fans of the simplicity of those Olympic Pack Red’s, we were interested in creating a similar look for the Air Max 95.
