The Nike Air Max 95
Massively hyped in Japan after it first released in the mid-90s, the Nike Air Max 95 also saw huge success around the rest of the world as sneakerheads admired its unique design and athletes praised its responsive performance.
Sergio Lozano was the mastermind designed behind the Air Max 95 and gave the model a very different look than the Air Max that had come before it. He based the design on human anatomy, with the lacing system of the shoe resembling a set of ribs, a spine-inspired outsole and use of mesh on the upper to look like muscle fibres. To achieve this look, Nike layered the upper with stitched and compression moulded synthetic suede for maximum support.
The model was the first in the Air Max line to utilise air cushions in the forefoot, and it also featured a minimized Swoosh on the rear of the sneaker. A first-of-its-kind black outsole was introduced on the model, intended to help mask dirt.
The AM95 was first launched in 1995, hence its name. But the model was not actually named the Air Max 95 until the late 1990s. Before that, the sneaker was called the Air Max or Air Max SC.
The first colorway of the Air Max 95, the ‘Neon’, consisted of black, neon yellow and white. The gradient pattern on the model, featuring four waves of colour fading from light grey to black, was inspired by rainy days at the Nike campus and the Oregon landscape. The ‘Neon’ has been re-released over ten times since it was first dropped in 1995.
The ‘Grape’ was also released in 1995 and was loved for its simplistic grey and white colour theme with a subtle use of purple. It was originally a women’s release but have now been re-launched several times also in men’s sizing.
Other popular colorways seen on the AM95 over the years include the ‘Country Camo’ released in 2013, which not only gave the model an all-over camo treatment but replaced the mesh/suede upper with Nike’s Hyperfuse technology, making them incredibly hard-wearing.
2016 saw the release of the ‘Persian Violet’, inspired by the legendary Nike Air Max BW colorway. A 3M reflective panel stretches along the length of the shoe, adding a striking touch to the black and purple colorway.
The AM95 has also seen some popular collaborations, such as with atmos, who designed the ‘Viotech’ in 2003. The earth-toned sneaker with hints of vibrant purple were incredibly hard to cop at the time. atmos also designed the Nike Air Max 95 ‘Animal’ in 2006. The sneaker featured many faux-fur animal prints including zebra, tiger, and leopard in an eclectic mix.
Parra also collaborated with Nike on the Nike AM95 ‘Running Man’ in 2008, following their success of the AM1 ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Cherrywood’. Released in Parra’s signature colours, this laid-back sneaker gives a nod to the city of Amsterdam.
Upon release, Nike Air Max 95 retail around €170.
Generally, Nike Air Max 95 fit true to size, however if you have wide feet you may want to size up half a size.