Tinker Hatfield created the first Air Max model for Nike.
The Air Max 1 debuted in 1987 and made the shoe’s air cushioning visible through a window in the midsole. Hatfield drew inspiration from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, whose exposed structural elements influenced the shoe’s visible technology.
Nike had already used Air cushioning in earlier footwear, but the Air Max 1 made the technology a central visual feature. That change helped turn performance technology into a major part of sneaker design and later streetwear styling.
The Air Max 1 is sometimes called the Air Max 87 because of its release year. Both names refer to the same model, while “Air Max” describes the larger Nike family that followed it.