Turn invisibility into a virtue.

1987 wasn’t just a year—it was probably the most innovative year in sneaker history.

It was the year sneaker culture and revolutionary design collided.

Reebok had just crushed the fitness craze—and claimed the crown.

But then a young designer named Tinker Hatfield changed everything.

That year, Hatfield ripped open the ‘Air’ bubble—literally—by making Nike’s Air cushioning visible through the outsole of the debut Air Max sneaker.

This bold move transformed functional technology into iconic design. And launched a new franchise that would define Nike for decades.

In fact, this bold move didn’t just define Nike — it crowned them as the new kings of the sneaker game for decades.