Nike launched the first Air Yeezy collaboration with Kanye West in 2009.
The Air Yeezy was Nike’s first major signature sneaker collaboration with a non-athlete male celebrity. West worked with Nike designers, including Nathan VanHook, to create a high-top model combining basketball-inspired construction with luxury and fashion details.
The shoe released in limited quantities and became highly influential in sneaker culture. Its design included a prominent strap, a glowing outsole element and distinctive paneling that differed from conventional Nike basketball releases.
The Nike partnership ended after the Air Yeezy II era, and West later moved his Yeezy footwear partnership to adidas. That change often causes confusion, but the first Air Yeezy was a Nike project and debuted in 2009.