To Celebrate 25 Years Of The Nike TN, Foot Locker Merges Four Legendary Nike TN Designs

The Nike Air Max Plus (also known as the TN) was first released in 1998 and, over the past 25 years, has become the identifiable, unifying feature of non-conformists alike. The sneaker is a staple in the wardrobe of many subcultures, including Rave, Graffiti, and Hip Hop and will likely become part of many more. The TN is unique in that it has never been out of production and has been available in ample quantities at Foot Locker for the past 25 years. This is a rarity in a time where ‘limited edition’ is often mobilised to create hype around a sneaker. Foot Locker has also sought to encourage the female audience, with some of the most celebrated colourways of all time produced as women’s exclusives. The TN has become a cultural icon with a die-hard community across the world. Once regarded as the baddie of the Air Max fam, the sneaker has since matured into a model citizen championed by a new generation who admire the classic design.

Celebrating 25 years of being the official home to Nike TN, Foot Locker joins Nike to drop an exclusive repetition of the legendary silhouette titled ‘TN 25th’.The sought-after release is a special moment for the retailer; it’s a time to celebrate the TN-loving community it has amassed in the last decade. The new sneaker arrives with a unique design that came about after the ‘TN Community’ voted on their past favourite styles to create a new sneaker that is an amalgamation of four fan favourites from the history of the TN.

Splashed across the hot new sneaker, you’ll see hints of the red tint of the ‘Sanguine’ iteration blend with the lighter tones of the ‘Fireberry’ on the medial side. Across the outer lateral, this gradient is met with the dazzling shade of the ‘Hyper Blue’ model – a long-standing streetwear icon. The final sneaker reference looks to the 2019-released ‘Palm’ where wave shapes come layered across the base tones. In true TN style, the sneaker is covered in a black webbed overlay, and the silhouette logo is positioned on the back heel.

To honour the release, the retailer reveals a 25th-anniversary campaign with community members Jasmin Sehra and creators of The Lost Boys Society Luke and Eddz commanding the visuals. The retailer has also partnered with Sneaker Freaker to commemorate the milestone with a new book that chronicles the life of the TN, featuring interviews and more. The book chronicles the unique history of the Plus over a rollicking 300 pages. To add some historical heft, interviews with the legendary Nike designer Sean McDowell have been included, while artist profiles from TN-loving creatives showcase the model’s cultural influence. The book release will coincide with an array of events taking place at various Foot Locker stores across Europe.

Although a global citizen, the TN has always honoured hyper-local narratives. The French scene has always had strong ties to ‘La Requin’, and across the channel in the UK, the spirited ‘Brixton’ TN pays respect to the franchise’s South London and Jamaican ties. On home shores, the locally designed ‘Lava’, ‘Hyper Jade’, ‘Casper’, ‘Kombat’ and ‘Pink Sunset’ releases are just some of the all-day bangers on the Aussie scene. The TN’s connection to its Western Sydney fanbase is palpable, with sales in the region setting records at Foot Locker. So much so that there was a 25th-anniversary celebration in the ‘burbs of Western Sydney at Foot Locker’s TN Corner Store, and the Plus was right at home. Ahead of the public opening on November 11, Australia’s most die-hard TN devotees attended an intimate get-together on the night of the 10th. It was a special night for the TN Corner store, with milk bar signage covering the shop and a themed photo booth adding to the grungy Guilford street landscape. It was a sight to behold, with Tuned-theme offerings like newspapers, candy and drinks stacked up in the first half of the shop. Further to the back of the store, the party kicked on with a museum that documented 25 years of rich TN history. Some super rare pairs were on display, like the iconic 1998 ‘Tigers’ and ‘Hyper Blue’ samples.

If you’re inspired to rock some TNs, head to footlocker.com.au or your nearest Foot Locker Store. Be sure to watch the Foot Locker website for news about some big releases planned for the end of the year.