Sneakers - March 22, 2022

Air Max Collector Spotlight w/ @Swoosh_Fever

To celebrate Air Max Day, we're stepping into the closets of some of the game's biggest collectors to find out what made them fall in love with Air Max.

This article is part 7 of 11 in the series: Air Max Day 2022: For the Love of Air

What made you fall in love with Air Max?

It was definitely the amazing cushioning and stability because I bend to the inside with my feet a bit and Air Max solved this problem.

What’s your most memorable Air Max experience?

A story I often tell is how I got two pairs of the women’s Air Burst from the 2004 Navigation Pack within two weeks after hunting for a pair for years. Firstly, I have to mention that the pair is a women’s pair, so it’s harder to find in a men’s size, and it was only released at Atmos and Chapter back in 2004.

Because the Navigation Pack, designed by Jeff Staple and his team, is my favourite pack Nike ever released, I had to get all of the pairs. So I searched for years for the women’s Air Burst and was at a point where I thought I’d buy any size just to have them.

And earlier in 2021, I found a pair from the UK for just a few Euros. Two weeks later, a good friend from France found a deadstock pair in the box, so I bought those too! Now I have them twice in my size.

If you were in a room full of other Air Max lovers and had to show them one pair in your collection, what would it be and why?

I would show them my Air Max 90 sample from 2002. This pair was never released to the public and looks like a material test sample because I’ve never seen a 90 with the same material they used on the mudguard. My women’s Air Max 360 from 2006 has the same kind of material, but this Air Max 90 is unique. I think this shoe represents my collection in so many ways, as I love to collect old, hard-to-find pairs and my favourite silhouette is the AM90.

Is there a particular Air Max that you don’t have but would give up half your collection to possess?

I have a few pairs in mind, like the Air Pres – made for George H.W. Bush – but currently, I would not trade my whole collection for one pair because there are too many pairs I would not find again so easily.

If you could save only three Air Max styles from being wiped from existence, which three would you choose?

I would choose the Air Max 90, Air Max BW and the Penny because these for me are the two Air Max silhouettes that will always be in my collection and my rotation, and the Penny 1 is one of my all-time favourite basketball shoes.

What’s the most interesting Air Max fact you’ve learned?

Over time, I’ve heard many interesting facts about Air Max and some specific silhouettes; for example, the Air Max Plus. The iconic veins on the upper are inspired by palms trees bending to the side in the wind, and the Tuned Air technology was called, in production, Sky Air.

What has had the biggest influence on you when it comes to your love of Air Max?

Music had the most influence on me when it comes to my love of Air Max. I’ve listened to gabber and hardcore for 14 years now, and a pair of Air Max, especially the Air Max BW, is part of your outfit along with a tracksuit. As well as gabber, I listen to German and US hip-hop and many artists have worn, and still wear, Air Max. For example, Eminem has worn many LTDs, Air Max 90s and Air Max 95s.

What is your ideal future for Air Max?

I’m a collector of old and classic silhouettes, so I would love it if Nike always sold the silhouettes like the Air Max 1 / Light, Air Max 90, Air Max BW, Air Max 93, 95, 97, 98 etc. in their specific original colourways. They have to be available to everyone at any time.