It’s time to talk sneakers again! In ‘The Story Behind’ series, we take a closer look at the story behind the designs of our favorite sneakers. This week we will learn a bit more about the story behind the amazing design of the Nike Air Max 97/1 x Sean Wotherspoon. Let’s take a look!
Can you believe it’s almost 4 years ago since the Nike Air Max 97/1 x Sean Wotherspoon released? It all started when Nike invited 12 creatives to work on the future of Air Max. They were called the revolutionary. They all made a new design for Air Max Day 2018 and the public had the chance to vote for their favorite design to release. Sean Wotherspoon was the one and only winner, the rest is history.
Sean Wotherspoon decided to combine an Nike Air Max 97 upper with an Nike Air Max 1 midsole and outsole. He gave it a rainbow-esque corduroy colorway to finish the bold look. The Nike Air Max 97/1 x Sean Wotherspoon was inspired by vintage Nike hats, sneakers and windbreakers from the ‘80s and ‘90s. He also said that they were designed to match with white t-shirts.
Another good thing to know is that Sean Wotherspoon’s friends helped him during the early stages from the design process. He organized a brainstorm session with his close friends over pizza. He wanted to bring people together who represented different types of collectors, sneakerheads, consumers and styles. A friend of Sean sketched out all the ideas from the brainstorm session.
The mini Swoosh on the design was something they knew immediately. Sean Wotherspoon tried to use his nostalgic memories to create something new. He did a really good job, don’t you think? The Nike Air Max 97/1 x Sean Wotherspoon became one of the most iconic designs. A grail for many for us.
