Nike Air Force 1 '07

Air Force 1 ’07

The Nike Air Force 1 ’07 was released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Air Force 1 with a range of men’s sneakers alongside women’s versions like the LX UV Reactive. The AF1 ‘07 features a classic construction that reflects the one used on the 80s original. While many of the designs have been made in the Low style, for example the all-white and all-black Fresh colourways, there have also been Mids like the Air Force 1 ‘07 WB, which has velvety brown suede across its upper, and High versions such as the vintage Light Chocolate. Its upper brings together durable leather panels that are connected via dual lines of intricate stitching. On almost every model, these appear along the edges of the forefoot and rear overlays, as well as the inside of the eyestay, though the Premium Little Accra colourway is a notable exception, its bold red overlays lined with golden embroidery. Clean single lines of stitches skirt the outer part of the eyestay, as well as the heel panel and the strip of material extending below it down to the midsole, while a wider band of stitches sits within the groove in the midsole.

All of this careful detailing lends the Air Force 1 ‘07 excellent durability, but there are also many design aspects that offer comfort. The padded collar combines with an inner lining and insole usually made of breathable mesh to create a plush feeling around the foot. This soft cushioning continues up over the ankle on the mid- and high-top versions, both of which have an ankle strap for added stability. Above this, the eyestay, which has a line of eyelets in a zigzag formation on each side, extends all the way down the shoe and overlaps with the toe box. Here, nine columns of perforations fan out towards the front of the sneaker, and many versions, for example the Team Red, have two extra holes in the midfoot just below the swoosh, adding plenty of breathability. Exceptions to this include the Ale Brown colourway, whose black swooshes rest over white corduroy in the midfoot that is free from perforations to match the same setup in the toe box. Then there’s the Utility model, which has holes in the toe but not in the midfoot.

Below this, the cupsole construction allowed Nike to fill the midsole with a hidden Air unit in the heel alongside soft foam throughout the rest of the foot – a reliably comfortable pairing. An embossed line runs around the back of the midsole, where it is interrupted by Air lettering below the ankle on the lateral side. In most designs, such as the ‘07 SE Love For All, with its graceful pink swooshes, this text is white, just like the rest of the midsole. However, there are those editions that take a different look, for example the ‘07 EMB Raiders colourway, which has a light grey tone on both the embossed line and the Air text. Underfoot, the rubber outsole contains the AF1’s classic concentric circle tread, which was initially designed for basketball players to easily pivot on the court. Within it, circular grip channels emanate out from a central disc in the forefoot, with another one in the heel. Tightly packed star-shaped nodes appear at both ends of the outsole, and lugs deliver support along the edges for all-round traction. In terms of colouration, the sole unit sometimes comes in one single tone, such as the all-white of the ‘07 Essential Paisley. Many other Nike Air Force 1 ‘07 sneakers feature an outsole with a different hue, for example the ‘07 Craft Dark Beetroot, whose off-white midsole contrasts with the deep shade of red on its outsole. Meanwhile, the Next Nature models, though often white, all have some kind of speckled pattern through the entire sole to signify the use of recycled materials. 

The final element of this stylish model is the branding. Simple Nike Air text shows up along with a swoosh on the heel and insole, except on certain shoes like the Bronx Origins. The tongue label has the same lettering sewn above the words “Air Force 1”, and many, though not all designs also have a lace dubrae etched with AF1 text. A large Nike swoosh reaches down each flank, curving from the midfoot panel to the quarter, before moving under the heel patch. These logos provide the chance for powerful colour-blocking or other decoration, for example on the ‘07 LV8 40th Anniversary Malachite edition, which features a bold blue swoosh over a dark green background. As well as dynamic colour pairings, the sidewalls of the ‘07 act as the perfect place for unique graphics and motifs, some of which incorporate the Nike logo itself. One example of this is the shark fin swoosh on the side of certain designs from the Sun Club Pack. Other examples can be seen in the Worldwide Pack, with additions like a strip of text in front of the swoosh and special globe emblems either behind it or on a tag emerging from its tail. Then there are several ‘07 LE Doernbecher sneakers, a set of limited edition shoes with elements like green and brown camo overlays and rose-adorned swooshes, and the QS Skeleton iterations, whose flanks are printed with a foot X-ray graphic. With so many recognisable features and distinctive designs, the Air Force 1 ‘07 is the perfect homage to the original AF1.