Upon initial inspection of Nike’s shiny new Air Max 720 scheduled to release in 2019, it’s obvious where your attention is immediately drawn. The massive Air Unit that wraps the contemporary design is a towering technological achievement. Be it style, comfort, or sustainability, Nike has championed the Air Max 720 among its greatest modern-day accomplishments.
Advancements of this nature don’t come fast and certainly not without strife. The design process backing the 720 wasn’t without stress. Nike went back and forth testing and refining the imposing Air Unit which, initially, was too large to be truly functional. Researched and developed by tracking the movements of commuters in major cities with the aid of motion-sensor technology, the shoe, like the Air Max 270 before it, is a lifestyle Air Max produced to meet the needs of day-to-day life.
The Air Max 720’s name comes from the idea that the Air Unit is visible in 360 degrees, both horizontally and vertically. Those compounding viewpoints tally to 720.
Shifting focus to the shoe’s shapely upper, the focus appears a bit more retro than the innovation of the midsole tooling. Remnants of the Air Tuned Max are easily present. Design inspiration from additional Air Max models seems to be broken down piece by piece with those fragments repurposed in contemporary form. And while the 720 takes from the Air Max 95 and the Air Max 97, respectfully, it’s not of those designs as much as it is a continuation of the thought process of those works, manifested decades later.
With the tallest Air Unit in Swoosh history, registered at 32mm high, the Air Max 720 is a creation of many firsts. Also foundational is the shoe’s sharp turn towards sustainability. The Air Max 720 bags consist of 70% recycled waste. Moreover, 95% of waste from Air Manufacturing has been reused. Nike, too, from a wider lens, is fast approaching all of its Air Manufacturing facilities in the US powered by clean, renewable energy. This should be in place early next year.
The Nike Air Max 720 is set to debut at retail in early 2019 in its glowing “Northern Lights” colorway. Additional pairs will follow in accordance with Air Max Day 2019 in March.
Source: Nike
