John Kim 
The Nike Air Force 1 is rightfully recognized as a ‘timeless’ icon of Nike footwear, transcending the age of innovation and rising triumphantly as the undeniable representation of ‘Sportswear’. With its roots in basketball, the Bruce Kilgore design of ’82 traveled through the 90’s as an urban legend of style, earning the nickname ‘Uptown’ for its popularity in the Harlem district of New York City and eventually becoming corporate verbage for the shoe. In the 2000’s, the Air Force 1 became a ‘collectible’ item with the various artist/store/design collaborations, and in 2012, the Air Force 1 celebrates 30 years of excellence with the AF1-XXX Collection of releases. For Spring 2013, Nike Sportswear has created a brand new rendition of the Air Force 1 with a slimmer midsole, removing the signature ‘stocky’ build into the low-pro model a-la the Nike Dunk Low. The name itself is a spin on the aforementioned ‘Uptown’ moniker as it is named the AF1 Downtown – both a play on words and allusion to the shorter and slimmer fit similar to the womens-exclusive Air Force 1 Low Light that debuted some time ago. Your thoughts on this re-envisioned classic? Check out the gallery below and place your bids in on this sample from dballaholic on eBay.
