Always innovative, Nike continued to push boundaries in 1997 with the release of the Air Max 97.
The sneaker was designed by Christian Tresser who took inspiration from Japanese bullet trains for their smooth, streamlined look, resulting in a stock that had lined grooves that wrapped around the upper.
It's just not true at all. This is famously the explanation given by Nike, but the initial design sketched by Tresser was, in fact, informed by hi-tech high-performance bicycles, water ripples and progressive materials.
Notable for being the first Air Max shoe to feature a full-length air unit, it created a complete feeling of walking on air. In addition, the stock introduced the hidden lacing system which is now used on various Nike silos.
