If you don’t know who designed the Nike Air Max 1 then are you even a sneakerhead? Tinker Hatfield probably didn’t know it, but over three decades ago he would change the shape of sneaker history forever when he designed this shoe.

In the world of sneakers, there aren’t many more iconic trainers than the Air Max Adidas Gazelle Mujer 1. Having first been released in 1987, the Air Max 1 has a deep history in sneaker culture. It’s futuristic design, as well as it’s visible air unit and eye-catching colours have stood the test of time. Over 30 years later, the Adidas Superstar Damen humble Nike Air Max 1 has had thousands of colourways released, countless collaborations and millions of happy sneakerheads wear a pair.

At KLEKT, we are now going to try and pick some of the best Nike Air Max 1s of all time. These sneakers are in no particular order as trying to pick our favourites would have taken too long. We’ll be taking a look at some of the best Nike Air Max 1 sneakers around and hope that you enjoy this article.

Originally released in 2007, and winning the Air Max Vote Back award in 2017, the Nike Air Max 1 atmos ‘Elephant’ is one of the Swooshes most recognisable colourways. Whilst Nike Air Max 98 Womens the collaboration was not the first time that Nike had used the Jordan 3 Elephant print on another sneaker, it was certainly the most recognisable.

Featuring white tumbled leather, black leather and a beautiful jade Swoosh, the materials on the atmos Elephant are superb. Combined with a white midsole and simple grey sole, the print is able to be the star of the show in this shoe. This was, of course, not the first time that the Japanese retailer worked with Nike. The two came together in 2002 to create the Air Max 1 Safari, however, we think the Elephant just beats its predecessor.

Coming as part of the “3 Decades of Cushioning” release, Nike went back to its roots and released 56 shoes which celebrated the feit of this technology. Mark Parker, then President of Nike, wanted to highlight the work the achievement the brand had Nike Air Pegasus 36 Femme made after developing air technology.

One of Nike’s Powerwall launches celebrated the brand’s original name; Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). The standout shoe quickly became a favourite of sneakerheads around the world and has since written itself into Air Max history.

The shoe itself pays homage to BRS original eight silhouettes and colours found on each shoe. Deep metallic green, tan brown suede and bright pink pops make the BRS Powerwall Air Max 1 such a great shoe. With only 144 pairs made, it’s safe to say that these are a holy grail for Air Max 1 fans.

In 2006, Nike tapped up Mo’ Wax art director and British Adidas ZX Flux Femme artist Ben Drury to put his spin on these iconic Nike Air Max 1 trainers. One of the most understated, yet brilliant, collaborations of all time the ‘Hold Tight’ Air Max is a nod to British record culture.

The monochromatic Nike Air Vapormax Donna colourway, made up of black, white and grey is not show stopper at first, but the details are what bring this shoe to life. A 3M reflective mudguard, perforated black leather and custom ‘Hold Tight’ tongue tag is what sets this shoe apart. Combine that with the white stitched circles found on the heel, which represent pirate radio culture, and Ben Drury and Nike’s first foray into collaboration is a brilliant piece of Air history.

When it comes to collaborations with Nike, fewer brands do it better than Dutch retailer Patta. A fruitful relationship that has seen some of the greatest Air Max 1s ever made, Nike Air Max 90 Donna Patta and Nike are now renowned for their work together.

Back in 2009, Patta was celebrating its fifth anniversary in style, dropping a number of Nike Air Max 1 collaborations in a number of different colours. Utilising a simple Nike Internationalist Donna white and green colourway, the Chlorophyll Air Max 1 used a rigid denim for the outer combined with a white mesh; an ode to OG Air Max 1s using one colour against the white mesh. Fast forward a decade and the Chlorophyll by Patta Nike Air Max is one of the most sought after Air Max on the market.