This year, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the footwear with a new iteration, the Air Max 1 Premium, a footwear inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, an art process where you mend broken things together with gold. We’re revisiting the spirit in which the Air Max 1 was created to empower our community to create a future that fully embraces the quirky, the odd, the flawed and the fascinating. A future where imperfections are celebrated as marks of uniqueness meant for crafting new realities, with no rules, for all.

 We partnered with atmos to spotlight three future-proofers across Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to see how they style their Nike Air Max 1 Premium & how they’re embracing their imperfections & challenging norms.

Artist & Co-Founder @TheFineryReport, Indonesia (@mandycj_)

MANDY CJ

When I started out as a teenager in the digital publishing world, I suffered from imposter syndrome for a long time and my biggest challenge was that I didn’t believe in myself so I was constantly seeking validation from more experienced adults. Having spent five years in the industry, I’ve taught myself a great deal about the business and now, I view my age as a strength because not only do I have time on my side to learn & grow, but also because I’m part of the next generation of global leaders and decision makers, the ones who are shaping the world.

I feel far more confident in my abilities and I’ve worked to create a network of strong women who support me in my endeavors. My hope is that girls & women feel empowered to pursue their ambitions at any age – your experience – or lack of it - can be your superpower!

Artist & Upcycling Designer, Thailand (@proudfa)

PROUDFA SUNTIASVARAPORN

I’ve always been a perfectionist, obsessing over completing a project to my satisfaction before moving on to the next, which makes it difficult for people to work with me, especially in the creative space I’m in. After getting negative feedback about it from many people, I spent a long time questioning myself & trying to change the way I approach my work, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find the same gratification.

It took a long time for me to accept myself the way I am and come to terms with the knowledge that most people will view this as a negative trait because we live in a society that values productivity and “the grind” more than anything else. I want to enjoy my work as I do it, not do it for the sake of working hard.

 I think that the creative community in Thailand is still lacking infrastructure and the main problem is accessibility of resources outside Bangkok. There is so much untapped talent & culture outside the city that needs to be given a platform to shine. I try to choose projects and support businesses who work towards highlighting and uplifting these creative communities outside Bangkok.

Music Artist, Malaysia (@laylasania)

LAYLA SANIA

Believe it or not, I used to be rather timid and introverted. Off-stage, I struggle to express myself easily because I am afraid of saying the wrong things. But I channel this fear into something I want to express on stage and it makes me feel different, more free when I’m performing. I want my audience to feel that in my music. Learning to speak & sing in Mandarin has been a game changer, it’s opened up the world to me. Now I feel that I don’t have to hide and pretend anymore. Music is always with me. Growing with me. Making me better.

When I think about the future, I dream of being able to connect with communities across the world and not be limited by the languages I speak. I’ve always wanted to combine music and education. Now I am studying to become a teacher and I hope I will be able to specialize in special needs children so I can open my own school with my own unique syllabus combining education and music. It’s going to be a tough road with a lot of challenges, but it’ll be worth the effort.