Our 90s Week is in full swing and for one week we'll be showing you our favourite moments from our beloved 90's. Today, we're focusing on a specific year, 1991. Some of you are probably already rummaging around in the back of your memory for events like the transformative release of the World Wide Web, the first sale of the Super Nintendo or the first release of a game featuring the famous Sonic.
But alongside all these defining events, one sneaker silhouette in particular (one year after the first release of the Nike Air Max 90) has made it into the limelight and, since then, into the sneaker history books. In 1991, the Nike Air Huarache was released for the first time!
In this blog post, we'll take a look at the history of this legendary shoe, show you who and what is behind the design and finally, we have a brand new Stüssy collaboration for you that you can bring home soon. Let's dive straight into the beginnings of a sneaker silhouette that has never existed before.
Off we go to 1991 and the release of the Nike Air Huarache:
'Looks like a sandal.'...
…is not really true, and probably no one would claim that, but the design of the Nike Air Huarache actually has something to do with sandals. Or rather, with a sandal that goes way back in history. The Huarache sandal comes from Native Americans and inspired Tinker Hatfield to design a legendary Nike silhouette.
If you don't know Tinker Hatfield aka 'The Architect', he is the man behind Nike's most iconic sneakers. He designed the Huarache in 1991, the previously released Nike Air Max 90, the one and only Air Max 1 from 1987, as well as the iconic basketball silhouette of the Air Jordan 1 from 1985!
'Have you hugged your foot today?'
It all began with this question. The slogan 'Have you hugged your foot today?' adorned the first advertising creative for the Nike Air Huarache and refers to the fit of the shoes. With their sock-like design, they have promised a unique experience since 1991 when it comes to fit, comfort and a firm hold on the foot.
Thanks to the elastic, neoprene-like material, the kicks hug each foot very well and ensure a firm fit in the shoe, just like the thick strap on the heel. Like a very tight hug for the feet!
The flopping of the Huarache
Although the silhouette promised a lot of innovation due to the aforementioned features, hardly any of the 5000 samples from Nike's very first production were sold. The masses didn't know what to make of this new type of running shoe and preferred to stick to the brand's Air Max models or other bestsellers.
Tinker Hatfield and his team were of course not enthusiastic, but did not want to give up. So a member of Nike's marketing team promised to sell the remaining 5,000 samples in person at the New York City Marathon. The idea was to bring people directly into contact with the product and let the target group see and feel what Nike was offering.
To their pleasant surprise, the plan worked and all samples were completely sold within 48 hours! Thanks to this guerrilla marketing effort, Nike was able to get the ball rolling and marketing campaigns like the one in the picture above could be launched without hesitation.
You have to know these Huarache OG colourways from 1991:
Nike Air Huarache 'Scream Green'
The colourway that started the success. The colourway that was first advertised is the one and only Nike Air Huarache 'Scream Green'. A colourway that celebrated its last re-release in 2014 and is getting another release this year for the 30th anniversary of the silhouette, which we can all look forward to on 28 February. Our release calendar will keep you up to date here!
Nike Air Huarache 'Purple Punch'
One of my personal favourites is the Nike Air Huarache 'Purple Punch', which celebrated its first release in 1992. The colourway is one of the OGs, i.e. one of the first colourways ever. In 2018, the 'Purple Punch' celebrated its last re-release so far.
But let's get back in time and check out how this colourway was the first Huarache to get a TV commercial:
Birthday! Nike Air Huarache 1991 - 2021
The Nike Air Huarache celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and has hardly lost any of its popularity over the years. Well, the silhouette is not so trendy at the moment and has not celebrated any off-white collabs for the hypebeasts. But most sneakerheads and especially Nike heads surely have at least a pair at home. Because the kicks really do offer extreme comfort and a running experience that definitely stands out from other running silhouettes.
To celebrate its 30th Anniversary, the famous streetwear brand Stüssy has teamed up with Nike again this year to release another OG re-release. The sneaker will be released tomorrow, 18 February 2021 at some retailers. Click on the button above for a list of retailers and all the info you need.
Check out our sneaker collection for more:
If you've now got the urge to get one of these comfort beasts on your feet, you should quickly take a look at our sneaker collection! Here we have a list of all the models that you can currently buy from some of our partners. The Nike Air Huarache is definitely one of my favourites from Nike. Due to its slightly chunky shape, it is actually totally in line with the trend and looks extremely good on the foot! I can only recommend it to anyone who hasn't had one yet.
Hopefully you enjoyed this post and it gave you new insights into the history of the Nike Air Huarache from 1991. I'll leave you with the question: 'Have you hugged your foot today?'
Don't forget our current competition where you can win the Air Jordan 6 'Carmine' in your size! Let's celebrate the unforgettable 90s together and take part in our #SJ90sChallenge!!!