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    Nike Air Max 90

    Nike Air Max 90

    1045 articles

    A prominent 90s silhouette that had a remarkable impact on sneaker culture.

    Nike Air Max 90 x Off-White™ AA7293-200
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 x Off-White™
    • AA7293-200
    • $625
    Nike Air Max 90 x Off-White™ AA7293-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 x Off-White™
    • AA7293-001
    • $665
    Nike Air Max 90 AMD DX9502-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 AMD
    • DX9502-100
    • $392
    Nike Air Max 90 Futura x Serena Williams Design Crew DX4221-200
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Futura x Serena Williams Design Crew
    • DX4221-200
    • $314
    Nike Air Max 90 DX3380-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DX3380-100
    • $491
    Nike Air Max 90 DV2188-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DV2188-100
    • $467
    Nike Air Max 90 DV2120-900
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DV2120-900
    • $622
    Nike Air Max 90 DQ8235-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DQ8235-001
    • $270
    Nike Air Max 90 DQ4699-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DQ4699-100
    • $336
    Nike Air Max 90 DQ4071-200
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DQ4071-200
    • $325
    Nike Air Max 90 DQ4071-005
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DQ4071-005
    • $281
    Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape DQ3987-101
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Terrascape
    • DQ3987-101
    • $378
    Nike Air Max Terrascape 90 DQ3987-002
    • Nike
    • Air Max Terrascape 90
    • DQ3987-002
    • $378
    Nike Air Max 90 DO9850-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DO9850-100
    • $334
    Nike Air Max 90 DO8903-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DO8903-100
    • $392
    Nike Air Max 90 DN4415-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DN4415-001
    • $259
    Nike Air Max 90 Futura DM9922-200
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Futura
    • DM9922-200
    • $414
    Nike Air Max 90 Futura  DM9922-103
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Futura
    • DM9922-103
    • $190
    Nike Air Max 90 Futura DM9922-101
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Futura
    • DM9922-101
    • $314
    Nike Air Max 90 Futura DM9922-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Futura
    • DM9922-100
    • $356
    Nike Air Max 90 G  DM9009-146
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 G
    • DM9009-146
    • $436
    Nike Air Max 90 DM8171-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DM8171-001
    • $356
    Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape DM0033-003
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Terrascape
    • DM0033-003
    • $356
    Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape DM0033-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Terrascape
    • DM0033-001
    • $535
    Nike Air Max 90 DM0029-003
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DM0029-003
    • $370
    Nike Air Max 90 DM0029-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DM0029-001
    • $469
    Nike Air Max 90 GTX DJ9779-003
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 GTX
    • DJ9779-003
    • $347
    Nike Air Max 90 SE DJ6208-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 SE
    • DJ6208-100
    • $467
    Nike Air Max 90 DJ5415-400
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DJ5415-400
    • $378
    Nike Air Max 90 QS DJ4878-400
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 QS
    • DJ4878-400
    • $524
    Nike Air Max 90 LTR SE DJ0414-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 LTR SE
    • DJ0414-001
    • $157
    Nike Air Max 90 DH8010-101
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH8010-101
    • $392
    Nike Air Max 90 DH8010-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH8010-100
    • $160
    Nike Air Max 90 DH8010-002
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH8010-002
    • $336
    Nike Air Max 90 SE  DH5075-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 SE
    • DH5075-100
    • $423
    Nike Air Max 90 DH5072-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH5072-100
    • $259
    Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape DH2973-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Terrascape
    • DH2973-001
    • $334
    Nike Air Max 90 DH1316-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH1316-100
    • $502
    Nike Air Max 90 Premium DH0569-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 Premium
    • DH0569-100
    • $259
    Nike Air Max 90 DH0149-600
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH0149-600
    • $303
    Nike Air Max 90 DH0146-600
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DH0146-600
    • $491
    Nike Air Max 90 DD9672-001
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DD9672-001
    • $558
    Nike Air Max 90 DD8555-300
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DD8555-300
    • $666
    Nike Air Max 90 DD8029-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DD8029-100
    • $701
    Nike Air Max 90 SE DD5481-735
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 SE
    • DD5481-735
    • $336
    Nike Air Max 90 DD0385-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DD0385-100
    • $644
    Nike Air Max 90 SE DD0384-100
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90 SE
    • DD0384-100
    • $635
    Nike Air Max 90 DC9845-101
    • Nike
    • Air Max 90
    • DC9845-101
    • $467

    Air Max 90

    The year was 1990, and Nike was benefitting from the success of its initial Air Max releases: 1987’s unforgettable Air Max 1 and its follow-up, the Air Max II (or Air Max Light). These designs had brought three years of growth, but with the new decade, it was time for the brand to evolve the budding Air Max line once more. Like with the Air Max 1 before it, this would lead to the creation of another era-defining sneaker, this time in the form of the Nike Air Max 90.

    Originally released as the Air Max III in 1990, the Air Max 90 became the first to be named after the year of its release when it was relaunched in the early 2000s. The fact that it could be successfully brought back as a retro design more than a decade after it came out was thanks to the creative vision of its designer, the one and only Tinker Hatfield. Tasked with advancing the Air Max line in both function and style, Hatfield equipped the Nike Air Max 90 with some of the latest technologies, many of which had been pioneered by its predecessors, while also gracing it with a particularly distinctive aesthetic that made it a product of its time. He added Phylon foam midsole technology, which the Light had shown to be less weighty than the polyurethane on the original Air Max, alongside a microfibre mesh and leather upper for improved breathability as well as solid durability. Modern-looking TPU panels similar to those on the previous design appeared across the upper and the heel, their contoured, grated appearance mimicking the aerodynamic fins of sleek supercars like the Ferrari Testarossa to add to the contemporary feel of the shoe.

    Like with previous Air Max editions, the Air unit in the heel was a key feature of the design. Whereas the transparent window in the Air Max 1 had sought to show off the brand’s technical advancement, the enhanced Air unit of the Nike Air Max 90 stood out for other reasons. The large, cassette-like TPU panel that surrounded it acted as a bold window, giving the Air Max 90 its own unique character and becoming a trademark of its look. In addition to its attention-drawing size, the piece of thermoplastic could be decorated in captivating colors to highlight the Air unit, and Hatfield was quick to illuminate it with a truly spectacular tone. The release model featured an almost fluorescent shade of orangey red which was originally called Hyvent Orange but later became known as “Infrared”. As well as being fundamental to the initial success of the Air Max 90, it came to be synonymous with the silhouette, many using it as the shoe’s nickname. The vivid red tone put the spotlight on the bigger airbag in the heel, something which Nike were keen to emphasize to those looking for increased cushioning and support. It also appeared on the AM90’s distinctive heel medallion, acting as a bold backdrop to accentuate the Nike Air branding embossed on top of it. In the years since the original came out, many different colors have been applied to these TPU elements, including Nike’s popular shade of lime green called Volt. However, the intensity of the Infrared shade has seen it remain a classic colourway to this day.

    Despite its memorable lifestyle aesthetic, the Air Max 90 was actually designed as a running shoe. Its sporting caliber was assured by the cushioning of the bulky heel Air unit, the supportive thick foam midsole, which provided impact protection, and the padded high ankle, tongue and collar, which offered ample support around the foot. While it was clearly a first-class piece of performance equipment, the AM90 was so much more, reflecting a paradigm shift in the language of Nike’s design approach.

    In addition to its practical functionality and its captivating use of color, it had a harmonious, flowing style created by the way the midsole merged into the enlarged mudguard, which itself extended upwards to rest against the swoosh. This won the Nike Air Max 90 fans from all sorts of backgrounds, including the club culture that burgeoned in the early nineties. This high-intensity movement brought with it the need for comfortable, stylish trainers that were also robust enough to withstand the rigors of the dance floor, a role that was perfectly suited to the Air Max 90. Meanwhile, in London and Paris, those in the underground hip-hop scene admired the shoe for its grittiness, and British grime artists like Dizzee Rascal helped popularize the sneaker through the 2000s. In the years since, it has continued to display the ability to appeal to people from a range of different cultures and subcultures, bringing it fame and success all around the world.

    The distinctive style and social adaptability of the Nike Air Max 90 has seen it become one of the most widely recognised and fully embraced sneakers Nike has ever created, and one of the most successful in the Air Max line. Its supreme levels of comfort and support gave it a distinguished reputation, while its characteristic use of vibrant colors made the hugely influential Air Max 90 a cultural icon that continues to garner new admirers to this day.

    Rank the Nike Air Max 90
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