The sneaker market is rocked by comebacks, and this end of year 2021 is announcing that of the Nike Air Trainer! Between reissue of the colorway OG, collab with Supreme and very soon with the rapper Travis Scotthis return to the forefront seems already acted. Zoom on the history of a figure like no other.

A creation that questions

The Air Trainer is a creation of one of the main architects of the Swoosh Tinker Hatfield. It arrives at the same time as the Air Max 1 in 1987, but is not welcomed in the same way within the premises of Nike. "Pretty stupid project", this is how they spoke about the Trainer in the marketing team of the Swoosh!

This project came from a simple observation of Hatfield: when he went to the "gym", the designer had to take several shoes depending on his activities, and therefore intended to create with the Trainer the most versatile sneaker possible to avoid carrying different pairs in his bag. The design stemmed from this goal, with a raised collar and strap designed for better support and stability. At Nikewas concerned that this cross-category silhouette would reduce sales of the basketball and running sections. It will finally create a new one.

John McEnroe the unexpected ambassador

The Air Trainer did not take long to find its audience. And for good reason, even before its launch, it benefited from an unexpected promotion: that of John McEnroe. Back on the courts during the year 1986, the fantastic tennis player asks Nike for new shoes, and the prototype of a Trainer accidentally slipped into the package he received.

Subject to multiple ankle sprains, McEnroe sees in the Trainer his ideal remedy. Nike forbade him to wear it in competition, as a prototype, but the player did as he pleased. He won several tournaments with the model, to the great surprise of the designer Tinker Hatfield who discovered it in front of his television. At its release under the colorway "Chlorophyll", the silhouette inaugurates the category Cross Trainer at Nike, which will quickly become its third most important behind ... basketball and running!

The Air Trainer, one of the pairs of 2022?

With its versatility, the Air Trainer has seduced practitioners of many disciplines, including skating. However, it will only be entitled to a few collaborations to bring it into a more lifestyle dimension, apart from Supreme (2007), Fragment (2015) or Polar Skate Co (2019). But the game has changed lately. The relaunch of the Air Trainer now seems to be official, following the classic pattern of the comeback. It begins with the reissue of the colorway OG "Chlorophyll" in 2020 under its SB version, and accelerates in late 2021 with the first collabs that anchor it in the minds.

As often, it is Supreme that has led the way, having already revisited the V3 Low. In its wake will come the most highly rated collaborator, Travis Scott, who should as usual make the silhouette hype. A first Air Trainer 1 with reverse swoosh will be released by the end of the year, alongside two new versions in the Spring. 2022 is shaping up to be a revival of 1987! So, will you give in to the Trainer temptation?