Nike's New Air Max Pre-Day Is Centered Around Reductive and Circular Design Principles
And features a unique design aesthetic that mixes the ’70s with the 2020s.
Nike has never been shy about touting the importance of Air Max to its brand ethos, even referring to it as the “embodiment of Nike design philosophy.” This bold statement is backed up by innovation after innovation, however — ranging from visible Air’s debut on the Air Max 1 in 1987 to the first full-length Air Max cushioning unit on the Air Max 97 in 1997 and the tremendous technological innovation of Air VaporMax in 2017. In 2021 Air Max is set to enter a new chapter centered around reductive and circular design principles, and the Air Max Pre-Day is here to serve as that chapter’s starting point.
With a name inspired by the legendary Steve Prefontaine and the beginning of a new Air Max era, the Air Max Pre-Day fuses elements of late ’70s Nike classics with the current decade’s technical innovations and enhanced materials. Uppers blend finely-woven polyester mesh with ripstop, synthetics and smooth suedes while midsoles are cored out to show off the heel Air unit in full and decrease the shoe’s weight. This fully visible Air unit is the Air Max Pre-Day’s main example of “reductive design,” a practice that removes elements from an item to highlight its most vital component.
The shoe’s circular nature is apparent in its construction: vamps and quarters are made of 100 percent recycled polyester, while each suede piece is fully recycled as well. From a looks standpoint, the Air Max Pre-Day’s inagural colorway mixes a volt-like shade with seafoam green and black. Upcoming makeups will be “washed-out versions of ’70s Nike Running styles,” according to the Swoosh.
Look for the Nike Air Max Pre-Day to hit Nike SNKRS on Air Max Day, March 26. The MSRP is set at $130 USD.
Elsewhere in the world of Nike Inc, take an early look at the Air Jordan 1 “Electro Orange.”
