2017... the year of the Air Force 1?
There is a reason why some silhouettes stand the test of time while others fade into obscurity. Some models become such classics that they transcend fads and fashion to form a class of their own. Models like Converse's Chuck Taylor All-Star and Adidas's Stan Smith have forgone their roots in basketball and tennis respectively to become the go to trainers for sneakerheads and the fashionable alike.
But we think it's about time another shoe was added to the list of go-to classics, that model being one of the greatest basketball sneakers of the '80s and lifestyle sneakers of the '00s, the Air Force 1. Already massively popular thanks to it being spotted on a myriad of athletes and celebrities and being the focus of collabs with some of the industry big hitters like Supreme, COMME des GARÇONS, VLONE and ACRONYM, it can already lay claim to a high status.
Originally released back in 1982 we have one man to thank for it's iconic design, Bruce Kilgore. The Nike designer laid the blueprint for the iconic model which was the first basketball shoe to feature the timeless Air sole unit along with the durable cup soles. This technology, originally envisioned to make the shoe lighter and more durable for basketball, is responsible for the silhouette's iconic shape with it's higher sidewall and reinforced bond.
The impact of the Air Force 1 beyond it's original streetwear roots can be seen in it's gradual seeping into the world of fashion with several high-end reinterpretations, most notably Nigo’s A Bathing Ape “BAPESTA” to Phoebe Philo’s pared-down take on the Air Force 1 Mid for Céline for the label’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection.
Like all great pieces of design the Air Force 1 is ingenious in an understated way with models like the white on white (pictured) retaining popular appeal as they are clean and stylish which complements a range of looks and styles. You can pick up what we feel is the shoe of 2017 in store and online here at Fat Buddha Store.
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