The Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 is undeniably one of the most celebrated Air Max partnerships in recent memory. Made for release on Air Max Day 2018, the sneakers utilized the upper from the Air Max 97 and placed it on the sole unit of an Air Max 1.

Nike held a “Vote Forward” contest in 2017 to design the sneakers. Participants were able to submit reworks of old school Air Max silhouettes, and fans then got to vote on which design should be produced. Wotherspoon submitted his idea for a corduroy-covered take on the sneakers, which ended up winning the contest.

Wotherspoon’s background in vintage clothing and his time at Round Two heavily influenced the shoe’s design. The upper was constructed with layers of corduroy instead of traditional leather and mesh combinations. Bold colors were used, but the fabric allowed the sneakers to have a vintage feel.

There were some minor changes made to the retail release when it came time to produce them. Initial concepts and prototypes of the sneakers used more green in the color scheme, but the version that eventually dropped was predominantly yellow.

Other unique details were added to help differentiate the sneakers from being a simple combination of two silhouettes. Corduroy pull tabs were included on the tongue and heel strap. The tongue patches could also be switched out by the wearer. An Infrared-colored Air bubble was added to the heel for another signature Nike touch.

The community designed one of the most impactful releases of 2018. From the material used to construct the sneakers to its color blocking and melding of two previous Air Max models, the sneakers age well even years later.

Since the Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 hasn’t been reissued, you’ll probably need to check StockX and other resale sites if you’re hoping to snag a pair.

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