For this year’s Air Max Day “Vote Forward” campaign, Nike invited a dozen creatives from all over the world — dubbed “Revolutionairs” — to Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. These artists, designers, DJs, and retailers were tasked with reimagining Nike Air Max styles; the Revolutionair’s shoe with the most votes will have his or her Nike Air model released.
The twelve Revolutionairs are Alexandra Hackett (London), Artemy Lebedev (Moscow), Bunyamin Aydin (Istanbul), Celement Balvoine (Amsterdam), Fabikr (Seoul), Kyle Ng (Los Angeles), Lourdes Villagómez (Mexico City), Naotaka Konno (Tokyo), Sean Wotherspoon (Los Angeles), Shangguan Zhe (Shanghai), Tianzhou Chen (Beijing), and Venus X (New York).
Hackett’s shoe combines elements from the Air Max 1, 90, 180, 93, 95, 97, Plus, 360 and 2015.
Lebedev’s shoe pairs the Air Max 97 silhouette with a blacked-out, reflective upper and a zip-up shroud covering the laces.
Aydin’s shoe reflects Eastern cultural history by combining artisanal textures with contemporary digital printing.
Balavoine’s shoe draws inspiration from the upper of the Air Max 90 and the tongue and tooling of the Air Max 97, with additional details like cryptic numbers printed on the airbag.
Fabrikr’s shoe is inspired by sneakerheads wrapping their shoes in plastic, as well as the morning fog at Nike WHQ. It places transparent material on the upper of the OG red and white Air Max 1.
Ng’s Air Max 1 Ultra Flyknit has hand-painted, neutral colors and hints of infrared with a heel that reads, “Give a damn,” in support of expression and empathy.
Villagómez’s Air Max 1 x Air Max 90 hybrid is inspired by the vibrance of the Quetzal bird found in the forests of Central America.
Konno’s shoe combines a Flyknit upper and Air Max 97 airbag with inspiration from Tokyo’s club scene and street culture.
Wotherspoon’s Air Max 97 x Air Max 1 hybrid is inspired by vintage Nike hats from the ‘80s.
Zhe’s shoe has an upper featuring a pattern inspired by the wings of Dragon Flies, one of the lightest creatures found in nature.
Tianzhuo’s shoe draws inspiration from ski boots, bugs, plate armor, and the KOBE IX Elite.
Venus X’s shoe pairs an Air Max 97 upper — in the classic Air Max Plus colorway — with bold lettering on the toe and leg.
