Discover: How the Nike Air Force 1 Became the Sneaker of New York City

Back in 1982, Bruce Kilgore changed the world with the introduction of the Nike Air Force 1. Regarded by many sneakerheads as the best silhouette in history, even after four decades its design has pretty much remained unchanged - but this wasn’t always the case. The legendary designer never imagined in a million years that his creation would be as iconic as it is today. In fact, it was actually discontinued for a period of two years in the ‘80s. Just imagine how different the trainer landscape would have been if the Beaverton brand decided to never bring it back. The basketball scene would’ve been completely different, countless collaborations wouldn’t even exist, and the Nike Air Force 1 would never become the sneaker of New York. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, The Sole Supplier are taking you on a journey to discover the history of the AF1, its influence within the hip-hop scene, and of course, how it became known as the “Uptowns”.

The Air Force 1 is as quintessentially New Yorkian as corner bodegas, yellow cabs, and claustrophobic subways. But the story of how it became such a cultural symbol begins back in the late ‘70s. Before Bruce Kilgore became the Bruce Kilgore, he was the mind behind classic cars such as the fabled Pontiac Fiero and infamous Chrysler K-Car. Eventually, he accepted a position over at Nike where he collaborated with Jeff Johnson to design the ultimate track spike. The result was the predominantly mesh Zoom which would later help Carl Lewis win four gold medals at the Olympics. Following the major success of his first running model, Kilgore shifted his focus towards the court for his first basketball shoe - and this is where the story of the AF1 truly begins.

Of course, creating an icon is no easy feat. After countless prototypes and manufacturing mishaps, Kilgore and a colleague loaded up a pickup truck with tonnes of samples and hit the road. "We just drove around. He knew the schools and the people of them. I was just the designer along for the ride, there to talk to the athletes and get their responses." he explained in a 2017 interview. The finished product was finalised a few months later and it is pretty much what you see today. With the help of six major NBA stars including Calvin Natt, Bobby Jones, Mychal Thompson, Moses Malone, Michael Cooper, and Jamaal Wilkes, the Oregon footwear company went all-out to promote its latest and greatest b-ball shoe known as the Air Force 1. Getting its name from the plane that carries the President of the United States, it was destined for great things.

The first shoe ever to utilise their now-renowned Air technology, it was only available in three stores across North America. For a long time, the AF1 was extremely rare and it quickly became a status symbol. However, for some reason, Nike decided to discontinue the model in 1984 just two years after its initial debut. This proved to be more of a blessing than a curse.

While the reason behind this shocking decision remains unknown even after 40 years, the Swoosh continued to dominate the basketball shoe game. At the tail end of that year, Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore all put their creative minds at work to create the legendary Air Jordan 1. Anyone who’s even remotely into sneakers will know who Hatfield is. With that said, what you might not know is that he originally worked for Nike as an architect. He was so impressed with Kilgore’s Air Force 1, however, that he decided to completely shift gears and start designing sneakers. Without Kilgore’s influence, we wouldn’t have silhouettes like the Air Max 1, the Air Max 90, and a whole range of Jumpman pairs such as the Air Jordan 3, which according to Phil Knight himself, was the shoe that kept Michael Jordan from leaving the company for adidas.

In 1986, Kilgore released the Air Jordan 2. Placing a huge emphasis on premium craftsmanship, the original pairs were actually made in Italy with a series of high quality fabrics and materials that gave each shoe a slick, sartorial aesthetic. Some people even called them basketball brogues since they looked so tailored. While this look may not be for everyone, its design actually went on to inspire the majority of models that came after. Even though the AJ2 didn’t have as much of an impact as the AJ1 that came before it, it would later make a massive comeback in 2021 when Virgil Abloh released his own take on it. This would be the Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton designer’s final collaboration with Nike before his untimely passing. The Jordan 2 also somehow rekindled Kilgore’s love of b-ball, leading him to bring back the Air Force 1, this time, for good.

We may never know why Forces were cancelled, but it could have been because Kilgore had no idea that they were even popular to begin with. “I was in Taiwan in 1987 and had gone to see a factory, and they were telling me about the Air Force 1. I said, 'I didn't realize we were still making it.' And they said, 'Yeah, man, we're always making the Air Force 1.' I was completely clueless.”

As soon as it made its comeback, the AF1 immediately dominated the hip-hop scene. Many New York MCs swore by it, even going as far as name-dropping the model in their tracks. Famously, Brooklyn’s very own Jay-Z was also a massive supporter of the silhouette. In the song “Can I Live II” which was recorded during Reasonable Doubt sessions but only added to the LP for a 1998 reissue, Hova gave the model a special mention. Instantly, anyone who was anyone rapped about the shoe. From Shyne to G-Unit, the Air Force 1 "Triple White" colourway became the choice of sneaker for NYC’s finest. It would eventually make it through every single neighbourhood of the Big Apple, and as soon as it reached Harlem, this was the moment that everything changed.

Harlem’s Rucker Park is regarded by many to be the number one destination for streetball. In fact, many of those who have played at the park’s world-famous Rucker Tournament have gone on to play for the NBA, including Allen Iverson, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and Kyrie Irving, to name a few. At this time, the line between basketball and hip-hop was blurring, and they started borrowing elements from each another. Artists in Harlem adopted Forces as their own, and the neighbourhood became the sole location for some of the latest and greatest colourways. This led the shoe to become an essential cog in the well-oiled streetwear machine, and it was also the moment that the Air Force 1 was honoured with the “Uptowns” nickname, because everyone knew that if you wanted to cop some of the most coveted pairs you’d need to hit uptown Manhattan for that.

As the AF1 began to gain more and more street cred, OGs like Bobbito Garcia were finally giving them the platform that they deserved. Garcia had seen first-hand the ebbing and flowing of the culture. As both a streetball player and a hip-hop artist, he was the first person to acknowledge the Air Force 1 as a sneaker that played a major role in both sports and music. “There’s always been that connection between hip-hop, basketball, and New York” stated Garcia in an interview with Nike. “The guys who were in hip-hop loved basketball and a lot of them played ball… and the styles were so intertwined; they meshed.”

Forces have come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1982. Even after all this time, it’s still regarded by the majority of sneakerheads to be the best trainer ever created. In fact, it’s the highest-selling athletic shoe of all time, bringing in an estimated $800 million each year in revenue. Considering that we’re celebrating its 40th birthday this year, that’s a rough turnover of around $32,000,000,000 since it was first introduced!

With over countless coveted collaborations and 6,000 official colourways to choose from across multiple countries and continents, at the end of the day, Nike Air Force 1 will always belong to New York City, more specifically, to the great neighbourhood of Harlem.

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