{"id":871389,"date":"2019-08-18T08:37:08","date_gmt":"2019-08-18T12:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=871389"},"modified":"2019-08-18T02:28:44","modified_gmt":"2019-08-18T06:28:44","slug":"nike-air-flightposite-1-throwback-thursday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/nike-air-flightposite-1-throwback-thursday\/","title":{"rendered":"This Iconic Nike Released 20 Years Ago Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

photography by Rob Mata<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Form Follows Function.<\/p>\n

Celebrating 20 years to the day since it released for the first time, we take a trip back in time to the golden era of sneakers and Nike Basketball where we reminisce and evoke deep nostalgia with one of the most progressive, transcendental, and iconic Nike basketball sneakers ever created: the Nike Air Flightposite 1<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Designed by legendary Nike sneaker designer, Eric Avar, the Nike Air Flightposite 1 hit shelves on August 18, 1999 at the astronomically high retail price of $160 and took the basketball and sneaker world by storm.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Following its predecessors – the 1997 Nike Air Foamposite One and 1998 Nike Air Foamposite Pro – the Flightposite 1 also featured a blow-molded composite upper.<\/p>\n

Originally based off anatomical sketches, the shoe\u2019s overall design closely resembles the human body with its intricacies, lines, and details paralleling muscle fibers and tissue – a \u201cseamless extension of your body,\u201d according to Avar.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Similar to the 1997 Nike Air Zoom T-Bug Flight and Air Zoom Flight The Glove, the Flightposite utilized a full-length zipper which when unzipped, revealed its hidden lacing system.<\/p>\n

Hailed as \u201cone of the smoothest basketball shoes ever created,\u201d the upper seamlessly and smoothly meshes with and incorporates into the rest of the sneaker, creating an overall aesthetic that is both functional and durable, yet beautiful as well.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The shoe featured the very best and most advanced Nike and Foamposite technology of the era including articulated forefoot Zoom Air with encapsulated heel Air Sole units, a Dynamic-Fit neoprene inner sleeve, Polyurethane-encased Phylon midsole with integrated internal sock plate, Phase-shift shimmer synthetic material, and an outsole with Optimal Motion flex grooves for superb traction.<\/p>\n

The shoe also featured superior ventilation with two vents along the medial side of the shoe, offering a comfortable, custom, tight, lockdown fit on court.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Multiple colorways released, including an all-black carbon fiber model.<\/p>\n

However, the metallic purple — or \u201cEggplant\u201d — and metallic gold colorways remain as two of the most iconic colorways ever used in the modern Nike basketball era, a testament to the avant-garde, futuristic design and innovative color templates seen in this timeless and forward-thinking example.<\/p>\n

\"\"
photo via Gary Warnett<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1999, Nike created an innovative magazine and television campaign for the Flightposite which gave the shoe additional character by virtue of the slogan, \u201cMade of Many Hard to Define Things.\u201d<\/p>\n