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Tune in to the TN: the Nike Air Max Plus Returns in OG Colours
Considering its popularity and on-street visibility, the NIKE AIR MAX PLUS remains to be an anomaly, in many ways. It’s one of the few iconic footwear designs that has organically transcended multiple subcultures without ever trying, finding itself to be embraced and endorsed by a variety of aficionados for almost two decades. And that in itself is no mean feat: to think that the Air Max Plus has been an in-line product for almost twenty years is impressive. There aren’t many products, let alone shoes, that can return to the shelves season after season without losing their magnetism. Yet on the eve of its second decade in production, the Plus is perhaps more alluring than ever before.
To say that we at TDD rate the Air Max Plus highly would be a huge understatement: it’s one of the foundations of the UK trainer scene and much of The Drop Date’s DNA is buried deep within the Plus’s curves and lines. Thanks largely to the Tuned Air system firmly embedded within the sole unit, the Plus is perhaps more commonly known as the TN, especially in London, where its initial fanbase took to wearing the shoe with only a few lace holes done up and with the tongues puffed out. If you were looking to make your presence known, then there were few comparable options on the market at the time. The return of the Plus’s popularity in recent years means that updated premium editions, such as the NikeLab releases and the successful transition to slimmed-down Ultra tooling, have resonated well with a younger generation of ‘heads.
Designed by industry veteran Sean McDowell, the Plus combines its revolutionary styling with a selection of innovative manufacturing techniques. But where did the inspiration for such an iconic design come from?“I hung out on the Florida beaches and just thought and sketched — it was one of my most creative times,” McDowell says, recalling a vacation he took with friends between jobs. “One evening, it was turning to dusk, so the very blue sky was starting to fade to dark blue, and the palm trees were blowing in the wind.”. Those who remember the original Hyper Blue colourway of the Plus may not be surprised to hear that the shoe’s lurid and enticing colour scheme came from such a source.
Shortly after joining Nike in 1997, McDowell immediately took on the challenge of creating a new running shoe with the working name of ‘Sky Air’, as part of a Foot Locker project. More than 15 potential shoe sketches had been presented to the retailer, but none had received the nod yet.“As soon as I heard ‘sky,’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, I just saw this amazing sky in Florida,’” says McDowell, who resumed his sketching. “I did a sunset. I did a blue one. I did a purple one. I tried a couple of different colours and sky versions, some palm trees were a little more tech-y and very geometric, and others were waving.”. The sky theme was utilised across the first three editions of the shoe. “The first shoe was dusk, the second was almost all black with a little bit of red [they used reflective mesh from the Jordan XIII] to represent stars in the night sky, and the third was bright orange and yellow to depict sunrise the next morning.”. The colours have kept coming since those initial explorations, with many regional exclusives and special editions to keep the hardcore collectors busy.
Time has passed since those initial designs were created, but the Air Max Plus remains a cult favourite across the world. In London, it never really lost its fanbase, whilst in France and Australia, it’s regarded as a street staple. 2018 has been a big year for the Plus and it shows no signs of slowing down yet: keep checking back with us for the latest on what’s happening with the TN releases.
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