AIR VAPORMAX PLUS

The bold look of the Air Max Plus, also known as the “Tn,” was actually inspired by ocean sunsets, according to the original designer Sean McDowell. “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.” says McDowell. “I sketched that out, and I thought, ‘It could make a quarter panel,’ like you could hold your foot down with those palm trees.”

Today’s lightweight, standalone Air VaporMax unit advances the unconventional style and innovative Nike Air technology of the Air Max Plus. To celebrate both models, Nike Sportswear designers married the wavy Air Max Plus upper with the futuristic VaporMax outsole to create the Nike Air VaporMax Plus.

“As a footwear designer, I’ve learned that so many of the manufacturing techniques we use today were actually birthed through the Tn,” says Nike Nike Sportswear Design Director, Dylan Raasch. “It’s more than just a shoe. This model grabbed people’s attention right from the start, from London to New York to Paris, where they called it ‘La Requin,’ in reference to the Tiburon shark.”

The Nike Air VaporMax Plus reconciles the bold stance of the Air Max Plus with the sleek last of the VaporMax by also maintaining a supportive, whale-inspired arch in the midsole. The neoprene upper includes debossed details, a thicker cage, and the relocation of the swoosh and Tn logo — which reads “Vm air” for the first time — to the back of the shoe.

“We wanted to give the Air VaporMax Plus a sleek, one-to-one fit with the right support elements,” says Nike Sportswear Design Director, Dylan Raasch. “This required us to explore multiple different upper constructions. In the end, we created a perfect balance of fit, feel, and comfort while still keeping the iconic elements of the Air Max Plus at the foreground.”