Air Force 1s, Air Max 95s, Nike Dunks, they’re all hugely iconic sneakers right? In fact, they’re all some of the most popular sneakers to ever have existed. But just where exactly did they come from? Sneaker silhouettes don’t just fall from the sky, in fact, they’re conceptualised and sketched by highly-skilled designers for months or even years before they even release. The Swoosh brand has employed some absolutely legendary designers over the years, leaving them to cook up some of our favourite sneakers of all time. But with that being said, who are these designers?
As sneakerheads we tend to show plenty of love to brands and collaborators, however it’s clear that neither would be anywhere without the hard work of sneaker designers. So today we’re diving straight in and taking a look at some of the most prolific Nike designers of all time. So if you fancy upping your sneaker knowledge then let’s get straight into it, join us and read on below!
nike roshe calypso teal women shoes sale sandalsTinker Hatfield
If you haven’t heard of Tinker Hatfield then you just might have been living under a rock all this time. Famed for designing models such as the Air Max 1, the Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4 and the Nike Air Huarache, Hatfield is an OG of the sneaker game. There have been countless sneakers that Tinker has designed for the Swoosh over the years and rumour has it that he was the sole person responsible for keeping Michael Jordan at Nike, after the Bulls star expressed a dislike to the AJ2. It’s also worth noting that Hatfield designed the iconic Nike Air Mag that was featured in Back to the Future 2.
nike roshe calypso teal women shoes sale sandalsBruce Kilgore
nike lunar force 1 duckboot amazon boots for women Air Force 1. After all, it was the first ever sneaker to feature Air technology within the midsole, a feature that we all know and love. But just how did it come about? Well, in 1982, a young Bruce Kilgore sketched out what was originally intended to be a tennis sneaker, but would go on to become one of the best selling sneakers of all time. Rumour has it that Kilgore had no idea how popular the sneaker was, and was surprised to see it on shelves five years after he designed it.
nike roshe calypso teal women shoes sale sandalsPeter Moore
1985 was a solid year for the Swoosh. Both the Nike Dunk and the Air Jordan 1 hit shelves and would go on to become some of the label’s best-selling sneakers of all time, but who was responsible for these models? It was none other than Peter Moore! The famous sneaker designer was a wizard at his craft and is also known for designing the iconic Jordan Brand wings logo. While Moore had a very impactful time at Nike, he didn’t last much longer, as in 1987 the talented designer made the move over to adidas.
nike roshe calypso teal women shoes sale sandalsSergio Lozano
Back in the mid ‘90s, Sergio Lozano had already had a successful start to his career working for Nike’s ACG team however things were about to take a step up when he was asked to design what would become the Air Max 95. Showcasing a bulkier design than any other Air Max prior and inspired by the human anatomy, the AM95 is a timeless sneaker design that’s still highly-coveted today. He went on to design the Air Max 96 II and is still hard at work designing products today.
nike roshe calypso teal women shoes sale sandalsChristian Tresser
Last but by no means least, it’s important to touch on the work of Christian Tresser. Once again known for his work with Nike, Tresser was responsible for the design of the Air Max 97 and the Air Spiridon to name a few, and is one of the most respected names in the industry. Later in life, he went on to work for Kanye West’s design team at Yeezy and has worked at a number of labels such as Salomon and Reebok.