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Tinker Hatfield, known as “The Architect,” has designed countless classic NIKE and Jordan Brand silhouettes. Check below to learn the stories behind what we consider to be Tinker Hatfield’s 6 Most Influential Shoes. Brought to you by MetroPCS. Wireless Figured Out.
6. NIKE Air Huarache: The design for this shoe was inspired by a water ski boot. Tinker created this sketch and decided to add the exoskeleton for support. This shoe fulfilled Tinker Hatfield’s desire to create a “Dynamic Fit shoe.”
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5. Air Jordan 11: This shoe is a cultural staple not only because of the historic 72-10 season Michael Jordan had playing in them, but because of the groundbreaking design itself. Down to the laces, this shoe was unlike anything ever seen in sneaker design. And of course, you can’t forget about those signature clear rubber soles!
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4. NIKE Air Mag: Air MAG’s are the Grail shoe for many sneaker collectors. Created for the movie “Back to the Future,” Tinker Hatfield imagined what shoes would be like in the year 2015–which inspired the shoe with self lacing technology and LED lights. Unfortunately, here we are in 2018 and we are not quite there…YET!
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3. NIKE Air Trainer 1: While working out at the YMCA, Tinker Hatfield became tired of packing several different shoes–each one for a different activity, ie. one shoe for basketball, one shoe for running, etc. He decided to create a shoe that could be worn for several different activities–giving birth to the cross trainer shoe category.
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2. NIKE Air Max 1: Inspired by the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Tinker wanted to create a shoe that put the NIKE technology used in the inside of the shoe on display–hence the NIKE air bubble. Tinker Hatfield went on to create several other legendary shoes in the Air Max series, but the Air Max 1 started it all.
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1. Air Jordan 3: The first ever mid-cut basketball shoe, the Jordan III, came at a time when rumors were flying that Michael Jordan was not happy at NIKE and would soon be leaving for Team Adidas. NIKE brought in Tinker Hatfield to create a new unique design for the Jordan III that included the iconic elephant print. The Air Jordan III was also the introduction to the Jumpman logo. Pop culture and basketball merged through introduction of Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon, wearing the Jordan III.
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