A Brief History of the Nike Air 180

The Nike Air 180 was created in collaboration between Tinker Hatfield and Bruce Kilgore, two of Nike’s most prominent designers, in 1991. Hatfield is responsible for the Air Max line, while Kilgore designed the Air Force 1. Depending on how you categorise sneakers, you may not consider the Air 180 to be an official part of the Air Max family, but here at Sneaker Freaker, we’re on record stating that it’s an integral part of Nike’s leg-Air-cy. While the thirty-year-old silhouette has always been kicking around the sneakersphere, 2024 is set to be a gargantuan year, as Team Swoosh announced in their SNKRS Showcase that we’re set to receive the first-ever 1-to-1 remake of the original. It’s fitting that the first colourway locked in to release is the OG ‘Ultramarine’, which debuted the Air 180 to the world in 1991.

Team Swoosh’s initial goal for the Air 180 was to make their patented tech more visible than ever before. Inspired by horseshoes, Hatfield and Kilgore used a blow moulding process to fabricate an Air bag that sat all the way around the heel, hence the 180 moniker. This innovative concept also marked the first time a urethane outsole was moulded to an Air unit. While the idea was new and innovative for its time, not everyone was excited by the prospect of 180 degrees of Air. Sneaker brand AVIA was convinced that the latest tech from Beaverton infringed on several of their patents, including their Cantilever sole, and so their lawyers filed a lawsuit. Team Swoosh countersued stating that AVIA were also ripping off Swoosh specs. AVIA's then-president, Bill Dragon, responded denying the allegations and accusing Nike of ‘typical arrogance’. The Air 180 was allowed to continue, with the matter said to have been resolved in 1991. The OG colourway of ‘Ultramarine’ was the first to hit shelves and will forever remain one of the GOATs. The uppers of the 1991 original hosted pure white microsuede, which gave the sneaker the reputation as a cleaning nightmare.

Dropping alongside the Air 180 in 1991 was the Huarache and Air Max BW. These were some strong competitors on the shelves at the time, which could have been the reason why the Air 180 didn’t get off to the best retail start. The artistic approach of Nike's agency, Wieden+Kennedy, potentially also didn't bolster mass market appeal. To create the now-historic campaign, W+K engaged illustrator Ralph Steadman, as well as designers Alphonse Holtgreve, Takenobu Igarashi, Charles S Anderson and André François to produce a gothic series of images. Rounding out the wild campaign was the TV ad that was created by Industrial Light & Magic and horror director, David Cronenberg. Adding in a sprinkle of good mass market PR in 1992 was Michael Jordan, who received his own pair. During his time with the Dream Team, he rocked the ‘Concord’ colourway in a photoshoot for the Barcelona Olympics.

There has never been a 1-to-1 retro of the Air 180 since its release in 1991, but that doesn’t mean Nike haven’t tried bolstering the sneak’s appeal. Inconsistencies with the tongue branding and overall shape have plagued retros of the decades-old silhouette. Despite that, Nike have attempted to revive their Air 180 many times over. In the early-2000s, there was a barrage of celebrity colourways and mythical collaborations that helped etch the 180 into pop-cultural history. The most widely known is Kanye West’s ‘College Dropout’. Designed by Christopher Bevans and Don C to celebrate the release of Ye’s debut studio album, it’s rumoured there are only five in existence. In 2005, UK-based rapper Dizzee Rascal also received his ‘Dirtee Stank’, and Eminem added the Air 180 to his famed ‘Charity Series’. Collaborations during this period still remain mythical gems, like the camo-adorned Opium link-up, highly limited colab with legendary Nom De Guerre, and Sole Collector’s ‘Cowboy Special’.

Another Air 180 renaissance followed throughout the 2010s, with the ‘Ultramarine’ kicking off the decade. Variations of the silhouette emerged, like the Air Max Terra 180 and Air Max TR180. Unlike previous revivals, there weren’t many well-known special editions save for the ‘Sunset’ made for the 2013 Air Max Hunt and ‘Germany Camo’. The tail-end of the 2010s witnessed another Air 180 resurgence, but manufacturing issues meant this period was plagued with squeaky Air units. Nike bolstered their Air 180 this time using hype collaborations with AMBUSH and Comme des Garçons. Original colourways were aplenty, with the return of the ‘Ultramarine’, ‘Bright Ceramic’ and a subtle Nom de Guerre nod. Berlin was the most recent to be blessed with their own exclusive 180 colourway.

There were plenty of forgotten sneaker anniversaries in 2021, including the resurrection of the Air 180. Its companion, the Air Max BW, received its ‘Persian Violet’ return for the big 3-0, but the Air 180 missed out on the class of 91 reunion. It’s water under the bridge, because for the latest SNKRS showcase, Nike revealed that they had built the Air 180 from the ground up, and were preparing to resurrect the silhouette in 2024 in full OG proportions. On the case was senior Nike footwear designer Leon Witherow aka @prestology. To achieve this mega overhaul, the team took a 3D internal and external scan of an original shoe from 1991, helping them to create the first 1-to-1 retro of the Air 180. Of course, the ‘Ultramarine’ will be the first colourway to debut. Expect pairs to land in 2024.

Find a full look back at the history of Nike Air Max here!