Nike introduced its first commercially available sneaker with Nike Air cushioning in 1979.
Nike Air cushioning originated from aerospace engineer M. Frank Rudy, who proposed placing pressurized air inside a shoe’s midsole. Nike adopted the idea, and the Tailwind became the first Nike shoe released with the technology. It debuted for running in 1978 and reached wider commercial availability in 1979.
The technology later became central to Nike’s lifestyle and streetwear identity through visible-Air models. The Air Max 1, designed by Tinker Hatfield and released in 1987, made the cushioning visible through a window in the midsole.
People sometimes identify the Air Max 1 as the first Nike Air shoe, but it was the first widely celebrated visible-Air model, not the first shoe to use Nike Air. The earlier Tailwind introduced the cushioning system to consumers.