HAPPY AIR MAX DAY was yesterday on 3/26 and we were in the house down at 55 Washington in Manhattan to see what the Air Max Con was all about. The sights and sounds of Air Max Day reminded me of just how popular Nike is and just how popular the Air Max is (Adidas can say what they want).
The Air Max Con is about us “Nikeheads” getting together and celebrating the Air Max in all forms. So many people came out and I got to see some of the best Air Max sneakers from different people. I saw so many pairs that I haven’t seen since I was a kid and so many pairs that were customized and it was just dope to see everyone’s individuality (I personally had on a pair of Olympic colorway NikeID Air Max 1’s).
After about a two-hour wait to get in. I got inside and Nike had the place decked out in all things Air Max. No bullshit. There was history everywhere and you got to see some vintage original Air Maxes, even if over time they had been somewhat destroyed. Some of the shoes on display were over 20 years old. It was really cool to see what Nike had inside once you walked around. It was partly a store and partly a Museum to educate you about what goes into the making of an Air Max shoe.
It’s the culture of the Air Max and everything that comes with it, It impressed a sneakerhead like me who has been wearing Air Max shoes for over 20 years. There was a shop where you buy exclusive laser-etched Air Max 90’s and Air Max T-shirts (You can’t get them anywhere but Air Max Con). There were artists there who had pieces on display made out of Air Max shoe boxes (there was a huge bird at the entrance made out of Nike boxes) and an artist who had candles of Air Max sneakers that were so well made I actually thought it was a shoe until I picked it up.
There were activities such as the NikeID class were you can basically learn to design a shoe with a Nike designer. There was a HTM (Hiroshi, Tinker, Mark) room which gave you some added history into the three main designers of some of Nike’s best shoes. If you didn’t know who these guys were (You should be ashamed if you didn’t), this was the place to learn a little bit about their individual styles and the shoes they created.
After all is said and done, just make sure you hit the Nike shop up and pick up a pair of Air Maxes and head home. Your day is complete. I can’t wait for next year. Oh, I forgot. Once I registered for Air Max Con I got to cast a vote on an Air Max that I wanted Nike to retro for purchase next year. My choice was the very limited Air Max 1 “Atmos Elephant” and thankfully it won. So I’ll be on line next year super early to get my pair. Hopefully you come out and see what Air Max Day and the Air Max Con is all about. Last thing, don’t be a dick and wear a pair of Adidas anything to Air Max Day. A couple of dudes did that and learned why it probably isn’t a good idea to do so. No nobody got hurt physically but let’s just say they ended up being a bit embarrassed about their footwear choice. HAPPY AIR MAX DAY!
