2022 is the anniversary year for 5 pairs of iconic sneakers at once. We are waiting for the releases of new designs

Famous sports brands release new models of sneakers almost every season, but not all pairs become mass-marketed and continue to be in trend for several decades.

This year, five pairs of sneakers are celebrating their anniversary at once. They continue to remain popular, and brand designers create new versions of these models, each time complementing and improving them. Learn more about the history of the creation of “legends” in this article.

Nike Air Force 1

Most likely, when you are asked to name one pair from Nike, it will be exactly the “forces”. In 2021, they became the best-selling pair on the market, and for the second year in a row. In 2022, the Nike Air Force 1’s will be 40 years old. They came out in 1982 and sparked a technical revolution in the 80s and a cultural revolution in the 90s. In the 2000s, the Air Force 1 became one of the fashion trends, so they deserve the title of iconic.

Bruce Kilgore, the designer of this sneaker, received the first Air Force 1 prototypes from the Innovation Lab and took them to a meeting with college basketball teams. He invited the players to wear them to a game to gather feedback on the new sneakers. One of the wearers of the first pair was Tinker Hetfield. He was very impressed with the model that Kilgore brought, so he became seriously interested in the design of shoes, and in 1981 became a full-time designer for Nike.

The Nike Air Force 1 began to be sold en masse in 1982. In the first line of Air Force 1 were high white and gray colors with a detachable locking strap and mesh inserts on the sides. Nike invited six NBA stars – Michael Cooper, Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, Calvin Nutt, Michael Thompson, and Jamal Wilkes – to promote it.

For its 25th anniversary, the brand has unveiled a slew of stylish reissues. Hopefully for the 40th anniversary, the brand will delight snickerheads with new variants of the iconic model. Nike has already announced some colorful designs and collaborations.

Nike Air Max 97.

Nike Air Max 97 is a classic model of running sneakers, which was developed by Christian Tresser in 1997. This year, the model turns 25 years old. These are the first ever sneakers with a full-length Air Max air cushion and a futuristic design that won the hearts of athletic shoe lovers almost immediately.

When creating the design, Tresser was inspired by mountain bikes, his own sporting passion. Those bikes used a lot of chrome parts. The shape of Air Max 97 was invented in the image of Japanese high-speed trains Shinkansen, in honor of them was invented and the original silver coloring Silver Bullet.

In addition, the designer used a hidden lacing system, the latest cushioning and reflective elements on all sides of the model (which, by the way, symbolize ripples on the water).

New Balance 990v3

The conception of the first 990 model appeared in 1978, when the world entered the era of mass consumption. Unlike its competitors, New Balance settled on the market of premium running shoes locally produced, rather than moving factories abroad to reduce costs. This decision helped determine the future trajectory of the brand.

The 990 took four years to develop, and by the time of its release in 1982, the silhouette had all the cutting-edge technology of the time. In 1998, the brand released the 990v2, and in 2012 New Balance celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first 990 sneakers.

In honor of this event, the brand presented the third variation of the legendary model – 990v3. This version of the creators added increased breathability through the use of a larger mesh between panels of premium leather and perforations on the toe. The logo in the form of the letter “N” designers made ribbed, and in some colors also reflective. They also reduced the weight of the shoe by reducing the thickness of the overlays and the volume of rubber in the sole.

The model turns 10 years old this year.

Adidas SL 72

The adidas SL 72 sneaker model was specially designed for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. It was the first lightweight running shoe in the Super Light (SL) lineup to carry the Trefoil logo, making this pair an iconic silhouette in history. The SL 72 was so successful that it paved the way for several subsequent re-releases in the running category.

This model was bought en masse after the Starsky&Hutch TV series was released in 1975. David Starsky, played by Ben Stiller, was not only an experienced detective, but also a trendsetter, because he wore bright blue adidas Originals SL 72 with three legendary white stripes and a red ruffle along the sole. And already this year, the model celebrates a round date – 50 years.

Reebok Freestyle

The Freestyle model was first released in 1982. This year, Reebok will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic sneakers.

Although they are not associated with the modern snicker culture that developed around Jordan Brand and YEEZY shoes, the Freestyle sneakers sparked a new snicker trend. In the early ’80s, when fitness programs and women’s aerobics classes boomed in America, Reebok saw an opportunity and seized it.

The brand developed sneakers for women, thanks to which the model became iconic and kept afloat for several decades.