HTM is an abbreviation that could mean a whole number of things but for sneakerheads it means, Hiroshi, Tinker, and Mark. If you know who these guys are, then props to you. You’ve come to the right place. If not? Two words: GOOGLE. IT.
Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield, and Mark Parker are sneakerverse giants whose HTM footwear has always been one of the most highly sought after collections among sneaker heads. This month, HTM celebrates Air Max Day buy creating a whole new dimension to the definition of the Air Max.
Each of them has created a model that reflects their respective contributions to this longstanding and fruitful partnership, definitely marking one of the biggest moments in Air Max history for this year’s Air Max Day 2016.
Dropping at the Nike Lab in Now 26 Siam Square in Bangkok, Thailand for Air Max Day on March 26, the Air Max HTM Collection will be exclusively available to a lucky few who have the chance to purchase a pair via ballot wherein their names will be drawn from the Lucky Draw Box. Only 1,000 people are privy to this chance. The Air Max Lab is open only until March 26.
Check out the new Air Max HTM Collection below and tell us, which one would you line up for?
HIROSHI FUJIWARA’S NIKE AIR MAX LD-ZERO H
“I wanted to create something that would resonate with people who are interested in classic styles.” – Hiroshi Fujiwara
On bringing the past to the present… “I love searching through the Nike archives. On a recent visit, I happened to come across the Nike Boston, which was a predecessor to the LD-1000. I thought it would be really interesting to combine that silhouette with the latest technologies available today. Performance technologies are amazing to work with, so I paired the Boston upper with the Air Max 2014 platform.”
On the aesthetic… “I experimented quite a bit with materials before landing on nylon and suede. Those materials, along with the blue color, give the shoe a classic aesthetic.”
TINKER HATFIELD’S NIKE AIR MAX 90 ULTRA SUPERFLY T
“I struggle just being a colorist or an arbiter of style. So if I’m asked to redo an Air Max, I’m going to change it. I’m going to give it some additional technology. I’ve always liked wearing the Mercurial Superfly. I like how the collar feels. By adding that collar to the Air Max 90, we are changing its performance, which has always been an interest of mine as a designer.”
On starting with the athlete… “I’ve always taken a hierarchical approach to design, where I start by thinking about some kind of pinnacle user. I get there better if I zero in on a higher-level performer. In other words, I begin by thinking about an athlete — such as a world-class athlete or a past athlete. That initiates the whole notion of what style is to me. And, fortunately, this way of thinking has helped drive style all of these years.”
On his color inspiration… “Everything I do is colored by my experiences. When I draw, it’s a culmination of things that I’ve seen and done to that point. When I was designing this shoe, I pulled inspiration from the United States and France. Each country has had considerable influence on my career, so that’s where you get the reds, whites and the blues.
“The color scheme also represents a bit of a departure for me, as I’ve been much more interested in secondary colors, or weird blends, throughout my career. But with this shoe, I went right back to the well with primary colors. It’s a very interesting shoe, with a unique blend of technology. But the colorway is right down the fairway.”
MARK PARKER’S NIKE AIR MAX ULTRA M
“I like products that communicate what they do very clearly. I love simple, stealth products too, but sometimes it’s fun to come up with something really bold and loud. With a name like Big Window, it’s pretty clear what the Air Max BW stands for.”
On the upper… “The BW upper has these hard, clean lines in the transitions of the upper. With a new technology like jacquard, I started playing with ways to create distinct areas in a softer way, using a gradient, pixelated effect. It still has the bold technology of the big window, but has a more organic tone in the upper.”
On his inspiration from the past… “I designed those three running shoes: the Vengeance, the Vortex and the Vector. If you look at the V-Series, it’s a classic shoe of that design era. You have the tip, eye stay, counter, back tab, vamp, Swoosh, midsole and outsole. Everything revolved around that formula.
“So there are a few hints of that in this Air Max. It’s an ode to the classic cut and sew design language of the 1980s, executed in a modern way.”
