Our '10 Days of Air Max 2021' progresses and so did the years following the mega releases of the Air Max 1 and the Air Max 90. In the mid-90s, Nike needed a new adrenaline kick, as the early success of the series had flattened out. In 1995, the young designer Sergio Lozano brought a breath of fresh air with his idea for the Nike Air Max 95 in the OG colourway 'Neon'.
Simply different
Have you just stumbled across the name Sergio Lozano? Maybe it rang a bell and your grey cells undoubtedly associated the Air Max series with the legendary developer Tinker Hatfield. His models turned the sneaker world upside down and are still bestsellers today. As early as 1994, Hatfield handed over the responsibility to the young designer. By placing their trust in Sergio Lozano, Nike took a risk. But as so often in life, their courage paid off.
Lozano's Air Max 95 is simply different. Never before has a Nike running shoe had a similar elaboration, colour choice and the idea of visible air in the forefoot. He achieved a lasting change in Nike running and inspired a new generation of designers.
Equally different was the way the silhouette was based on the human anatomy. The lacing system is inspired by the rib arches of humans, the outsole is reminiscent of our spine and the mesh and suede upper represents human muscle fibres. Thus, the shoe pays homage to and supports the masterpiece that is the "body".
Air Max 95 OG 'Neon' - The Details
The shoe made a bold statement with its specific upper, neon yellow details, black outsole and air in the forefoot. The silhouette was re-released in 2020 and you can still get your hands on a few, mainly at resellers.
Lozano was supposedly inspired by the rainy weather in Beaverton, Nike's birthplace and headquarters in Oregon, USA. Joggers and runners literally sank into the water there, which drew clear and dark edges around the shoes. In addition, the mud soiled the outer soles. So the idea was that the fanned out upper and the black midsole should conceal the dirt.
Lozano cleverly used the neon to accentuate the sneaker's technologies and functional elements, such as the air units.
The shoe in art and the shoe as art
In 2015, 20 years later, the sports company launched two new models to celebrate the anniversary, based on the 1995 original. The designers of the Air Max 95 Ultra Jacquard and the WMNS Air Max 95 Ultra followed in Lozano's footsteps with strong references to the AM95, while also using new methods of design. Nike also invited two artists to artistically illustrate the creation of the silhouette and its reference to the human anatomy.
In the meantime, of course, there are countless variations of the classic silhouette. Also designed by Sergio Lozano is the Air Max 98. The "visible air" series wrote a great success story and continues to write it, most recently with the Air Max 2090.
