With Air Max Day literally tomorrow, we saved the best ‘til last with the Air Max 720. Finishing up our Air Max Day series, the Air Max 720 is Nike’s latest silhouette – pushing Air to the next level with their tallest Air bag to date!
Want the low down on Nike’s fire new sneaker? We’ve got you.
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The Story Behind the Design
Built to turn heads, the design for the 720 sat with Nike footwear designer, Jesi Small and her team (no pressure…). Having worked on the Air Zoom Mariah Flyknit, Air 270 Flyknit and loads more, Jesi wanted the Air Max 720 to seriously turn heads. She said “you need a unique look if you want people to recognize it from 40 feet away” – and she gave it just that, creating one of Nike’s most innovative and iconic sneakers to date.
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The Air Bag
Making waves since ’87, Nike Air is nothing new. But Nike continuously re-work their tech to create game-changing silhouettes. With the 720, they’ve smashed expectations of Air – equipping the trainer with a visible Air unit that measures 38mm tall!
As you can imagine, creating an Air unit so big came with its issues. Nike’s VP of Innovation Kathy Gomez had a lot to think about! Trying to balance size and comfort, as well as what it looked like, the engineers had a huge challenge. They tried several combinations but eventually, it all came together – creating a game-changing sneaker that’s ultra-comfy AND reps the tallest ever Air unit.
The 720’s name comes from its huge Air bag underfoot, which is visible in 360° – both horizontally and vertically. When Jesi was designing the trainer, she wanted to pack it with joy and optimism. With everything going on in the world right now, she wanted to give people some energy back.
Packing physical energy into each step, these sneakers might feel stiff in your hand, but once on foot, the Air bag works its magic. Compressing as you shift your weight, the full-length Air unit underfoot is simply energy waiting to be made the most of.
The Upper
The Air Max 720 is built with a textile and synthetic upper that’s similar to the VaporMax Plus. Keeping up with the theme of energy, Jesi Small wanted the Air Max 720’s look to radiate energy too – helping you to recharge. In order to do this, each colourway is inspired by nature. Taking inspo from their surroundings living in the Pacific North-West, the colourways nod to everything from the ocean and desert to lava flows, the Northern Lights and sunsets. Each one tells its own story.
Who’s Been Reppin’ Em?
Even though it’s early days for the 720, they’ve been spotted on some mega celebs including Dapaah (aka. Big Shaq), Liverpool FC’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramell Carter, who’s reppin’ for the juniors.
With Nike continuing to surprise us, expect to see the 720 Air unit on a range of silhouettes in the future. Watch this space!
