The One Block Down editorial archive is a constantly evolving resource that documents the cultures, movements, and ideas that shaped current stylistic debate. Our editorial history is as basic as it is abstract, with unique perspectives on today’s most pressing pop-culture subjects and off-kilter pieces that could have slipped through the cracks.
The white Air Force 1 Low is one of the best-selling shoes of all time. A decade ago, sporting-goods analyst Matt Powell told the New York Times that the shoe sold an estimated 12 million pairs in 2005 alone, more than two decades after its launch; the sneaker remains Nike’s second best-seller a decade later, according to Powell.
The hyped-up collaborations and limited-run collectibles may have elevated the AF1 to a level of prominence and helped spread its gospel to new generations, but the monotone makeups, notably the white-on-white, have kept the lights on at most sneaker shops over the years.
On its debut on the court in 1982, Nike designer Bruce Kilgore’s innovation, first only available as a high top, was notable for its hiking-boot-inspired cues and distinctively hefty sole—it was the first Nike Air cushioning on a basketball shoe. One of the shoe’s only conservative elements was its bland white and grey color scheme. Inevitably, bolder, team-colored Forces would follow, as would a low-cut, making the Air Force 1 an even more popular choice when it became available on a larger scale in 1983.
Initially, the Air Force 1 was available in six distinct colors for “The Original Six,” each inspired by the colors of their own teams and likes. The shoe was then offered in a low-top version in 1983 to appeal to a broader audience outside of pure sports performance. However, the new design’s popularity grew gradually, taking off one year later in 1984.
The best Air Force ones to buy now
The Nike Air Force One has long been a symbol of hip hop culture. Exclusive AF1 collaborations with Hip Hop legends, such DJ Clark Kent and Drake, increased the Air Force 1’s influence and appeal.
Nike Air Force 1 Low DJ Clark Kent’s
DJ Clark Kent and Nike recognized The List with a limited-edition Nike Air Force 1 Low. DJ Clark Kent has a long history of shoe collaborations, including the well-known 112 Pack. The mismatched design has a multicolored pebbled leather top with small Swooshes on the lateral sides.
Nike Air Force 1 Low OVO Sample, Left Shoe
In 2019, Nike collaborated with Drake’s October’s Very Own (“OVO”) label to revamp the legendary Air Force 1 Low shape. This sneaker sample has a sleek black patent upper with gold accents on the Swoosh, heel, and tongue branding, as well as OVO’s distinctive owl on the lateral heel.
Nike Air Force 1 Low White/Off-White The Ten
Virgil Abloh’s deconstructed version of the Air Force One became an instant fan favorite. Over the years, Off White Air Force 1s would be released in a number of colorways, including the AF1 Low Off White from “The Ten” collection. This Off White Air Force 1 release features some of the most experimental aspects of Abloh’s “GHOSTING” effect. The Off White AF1 Low is differentiated by the elimination of conventional layers, revealing the shoe’s padding topped with translucent embellishments.
Next came the all-white Low. Crispy like white Reeboks, a popular hustler shoe in specific NYC boroughs back when such style divisions existed the white on white palette allowed Kilgore’s creation’s timeless appeal to shine through. However, the exact release date of the white Air Force 1 Low remains unknown.
The period between the AF1’s 1986 reissue and the early 1990s redesign of the shoe to remove its mesh side panels is so poorly recorded. It’s so uneven that some may believe the sneaker did not exist until the late 1990s. All we have to rely on are showy Polaroids, album jackets, and vintage advertisements.
Whenever they were officially released, all-leather, white-on-white lows rapidly became a best-seller due to an established inner-city fandom; Nike knew how to generate excitement among the already devoted followers. Nike’s Limited Edition crew, which included quickstrike and retro pioneers such as Nike employee Drew Greer, briefly restricted supply of the white-on-white lows in order to increase demand and exclusivity.
Final note!
As the 1990s progressed, the AF1’s circulation increased beyond its major cities. The 1994 release of the often-maligned Air Force 1 Mid, as well as a meticulously managed “City Attack” project that resulted in the iconic Nike NYC logo, served as a tactical forerunner to a global rollout that would take the white on white overseas.
