The Nike Air Max 97 Marion Frank Rudy Pays Homage To The Man Behind Air

Published August 6, 2022 at 12:00 AM

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Picture this: It’s 1977 and Nike is trying to find its next big thing. After going back to the drawing board multiple times, they finally agree to meet with NASA aerospace engineer Marion Frank Rudy to discuss the idea of fitting an “airbag” onto a sneaker for added cushioning. On paper, this sounded totally ridiculous, but it eventually paved the way for icons such as the Air Force 1 and the eventual Air Max series. As a homage to Mr. Rudy, the Beaverton-based brand has unveiled the Nike Air Max 97 “Marion Frank Rudy,” and it’s definitely one for the Swoosh fans out there.

Falling in line with the 25th birthday of Christian Tresser’s Air Max 97 and the 35th Anniversary of Max Air technology, this special release combines both of these into one cool colorway. Painted in white, the mesh and leather upper is contrasted with a summit white suede mudguard that’s as premium as it gets. Not only will you find Max Air cushioning on the lemon wash midsole, the Oregon footwear company has also added a pocket of Air to the lateral side panel which has never been done before. This is all finished off with a limited edition keychain that’s influenced by a California license plate.

The Nike Air Max 97 Marion Frank Rudy is set to release in Holiday 2022. It will drop at Nike, via the SNKRS app, and at select retailers worldwide, both online and in-store. Coming in men's sizes, retail is set $185. Keep it locked to our Twitter andMobile App to stay up to date on future releases.