a brief history of Nike's Air Force 1
The original version of the shoe was created in 1982 by Bruce Kilgore as a high top with a single color way of white and neutral gray. The iconic all white colorway wasn't released until the late 90's and sold for about $62.95. In 2005 the bestselling shoe sold 12 million pairs and almost 20 years later the AF1 is still the epitome of classic street style. Uncredited pioneers of the AF1 were African American drug dealers, hustlers, rappers, and basketball players, the essential personas that influenced late 90s to early 2000 fashion. Now the shoe sells for around $100 depending on the retailer.
thesis: The gentrification of the AF1 resulted in the misconception that it has no gender, race, or class significance. However, without the efforts of African Americans that cultivated a culture for the AF1, it would not have become the classic staple that continues to trend in the media today.
cultural association
the concept that certain signifiers are related in proximity to a culture, but never owned
stripped of established culture but not allowed to formulate a new one that can be protected from appropriation...
heavy impact on popular culture...
the treatment of the AF1 as a myth has an effect on how African Americans are treated in society. the upkeep of the shoe echoes how African Americans are represented in laws and human rights. just as though there is a great deal of effort put into the upkeep of the AF1, there is an extreme amount of effort put into social acceptance
the purpose of protecting the cultural significance of the AF1 is not rooted in pride for setting an everlasting trend, but rather protecting the importance of the history of African Americans. America has a history of erasing the narrative of African Americans to support a capitalistic hegemonic society by white men.
thank you 🙂 ... questions?
email: pjenkins@nd.edu🤍