The Complex History Behind the Nike TN Air Max Plus

If you’re looking for a pair of sneakers that’ll ensure you make a statement, look no further than a pair of TNs. Forming an essential part of Nike’s Air Max legacy, the TN (aka the Air Max Plus) has been a street staple for years, but that’s a far cry from the original palm trees and sunset skies that inspired the silhouette. In fact, the TN has a few surprising facts behind it, so sit tight while we give you a quick little history lesson on the fan-fave sneaker.

The original Nike Air Max Plus Tuned 1 was designed in 1998 by Sean McDowell, but the silhouette came about from a 1997 project named Sky Air, that Nike was working on with none other than Foot Locker. The idea was to create a new running shoe that would use Tuned Air technology – the latest in a long line of innovations from the Air Max family. Nike had presented over 15 proposals to Foot Locker before McDowell’s design won them over, but the process wasn't all smooth sailing.

Though it's fair to say that the TN design has always been divisive, if you peek closer at a pair you’ll be able to notice a couple of details that make the model special. The lateral Swoosh is actually a little slimmer and longer than the standard logo, and this was thanks to the fact that McDowell has freestyled the design as no one had yet shown him exactly how to draw it. Of course, the rest of the shoe is equally as unique-looking, from the plastic exoskeleton that calls back to the palms, to the gradient upper, to its signature shank that divides the front and back Air Units – the inspiration drawn from a whale’s tail.

While the TN remains one of Nike’s most popular models, cultural biases have managed to skew the perception of the shoe, but tracing the process back to its conception, the TN has always been a bit of a disruptor at heart. Not only was the Swoosh a little off, but McDowell saw the creation of the sneaker as a chance to challenge Nike lore. As a runner, he found it odd that reflective elements were put on the back of the shoes, when really, you should run facing traffic for better visibility, which would require reflective elements all the way up the front. The TN therefore saw reflective detailing dress the tongue and toe box – one of the shoe’s most popular and distinguishing details.

For its final iconic detail, the Air Max Plus had to bend to the rules a little bit, but by doing so, managed to make a rather iconic contribution to the Swoosh brand’s design history. McDowell had originally pushed back on the now-famous TN logo, which Nike had asked him to ‘feature prominently.’ The original sketches had forgone the yellow and black hexagonal badge, but out of obligation, the designer threw the logo on the back of the heel.

Aside from the design elements, the TN was also technically very complex, and issues with designing the exoskeleton and gradient slowed down production. For the gradient effect, McDowell finally had the factory start with the lightest shade and simply print over it with darker tones. He managed to engineer a solution for the skeleton too. Arriving at the factory, he was told that the upper was too big for a one-piece weld, and that this method would either melt the fabric or just fail to bond. The answer? Simply split it up into three sections.

To add to the design breakthroughs, the build featured Nike’s most technical sole unit yet. Where the brand had previously been drawn towards simply making the Air Unit as big as possible, the Tuned Air tech was split into two ‘hemispheres’ which were both comfy and efficient for the wearer. Having managed to find ways around all of these design issues, the shoe was presented to Foot Locker just a couple of weeks later, and the rest, as they say – was history.

Looking to add a pair of TNs to your sneaker collection? Hit the links to shop our favourite pairs from Foot Locker, or check out the rest of their collection here.