Nike introduced the Air Max 1 running shoe in 1987.
The Air Max 1 was the first Nike shoe to display a visible Air cushioning unit in its sole. Nike designer Tinker Hatfield drew inspiration from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, whose exposed structural and mechanical elements influenced the shoe’s visible technology.
The shoe originally appeared as the Air Max in 1987 and was later commonly called the Air Max 1 after subsequent models joined the family. Its visible air window turned an internal performance feature into a prominent design element.
The Air Max 1 is not the same product as the Air Jordan line. Air Jordan began with basketball shoes associated with Michael Jordan, while Air Max developed primarily from Nike’s running and lifestyle footwear programs.