NIKE AIR MAX PLUS

In 25 cut-throat years on Foot Locker shelves, where it has stared down every wannabe challenger to the throne with panache, the Air Max Plus has never once been out of production and has maintained its righteous grip as the most esteemed (and expensivest!) Nike of them all. By rights, the TN should have retired back home to Florida many years ago, replaced by the latest new-fangled tech footwear concept, but that’s not how this story plays out.

Sean McDowell dug deep in the memory bank and recalled a recent holiday to add design flourishes sourced from palm trees, sunsets and an old Nike track spike. As has now passed into sneaker folklore, one final design was unanimously selected, but McDowell still had manufacturing migraines to resolve.

The Franchise Takes Shape

With the Air Max Plus on fire, Nike doubled down on TN Town with a laceless edition that expanded the plastic cage and used thick rubber straps to cinch the shoes to feet. Don’t sweat the technique too much if you’ve never seen the Air Max Plus Slip On before, as it disappeared from shelves immediately and sank without trace.

Searching on the Go!

Tracking down an Air Max 90 or Jordan 1 collector with 100-plus pairs is no biggie, but the Air Max Plus is a different proposition. Many devotees live ‘active’ lifestyles, so it’s not uncommon for pairs to be run into the ground, at which point the beaters are binned and the owner refreshes their rotation with a trip to Foot Locker.

Long Live the TN!

The release of any groundbreaking, visually intimidating sneaker is a magical and unpredictable process. The TN may have enjoyed a dose of good old fashioned luck and perfect timing, but all the street smarts and brilliant marketing strategy in the world can’t guarantee success until we, the people, have spoken.

As outlined in the pages of Stay Tuned, the facts are not in dispute. Sean McDowell was a Nike rookie who spanked his first swing at the big time outta the ballpark. On a mission to design the lightest Air Max of all time, McDowell raided his holiday memory bank for inspo, slapped a skinny Swoosh on the side and created an all-time masterpiece of malice that has disobeyed the laws of obsolescence and defied volatile fashion trends.

The TN has not aged a single day in two and half decades on Foot Locker shelves, making it a truly timeless unicorn that has always punched way above its weight. Nuff respect to the ultimate Air Max!