The OG Air Max 95 – also known as NEON – is one of the most iconic Nike Air Max silhouettes EVER! It was the debut colorway for a long line of legendary colorways from sneaker designer Sergio Lozano. Of course, it comes as no surprise that this model dropped back in 1995 – hence the name!
It remains one of Nike’s best-selling Air Max sneakers of all time which doesn’t come as a surprise. And so, during the past 26 years, the OG Air Max 95 set the path for endless new, iconic colorways.
However, people loved the OG Air Max 95 NEON so much that the pair released over 10 times! It dropped in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, and in 2020 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It was such a phenomenal success that people dedicated books and magazines to these tech running shoes. People adored the AM95s that they left absolutely no place for the AM96 hype!
I’ll kill you if you try me for my Air Max 95’s
The OG Air Max 95 had an insane impact on sneaker culture and was an iconic part in hip-hop! It even featured in The Game’s song “Hate It or Love It” and again on “Dead and Red Nation”. Other celebrities that had a huge thing for the AM95s include Eminem, Lil Kim, Warren G, and so much more!
PLUS, it was responsible for the very first reported case of shoe robbery in Japan in 1996. It was a hectic, frenzy for the OG Air Max 95 colorway successors that no one was safe! This is probably where Nike would encourage you to JUST DON’T IT! And there’s so much more you absolutely need to know about the original Nike Air Max 95. So, let’s get right into it!
THE OG NIKE AIR MAX 95
#1 IT DROPPED IN 1995
The first fact about the OG Air Max 95 is that it dropped back in 1995 – as its name suggests. Sergio Lozano designed the model with a complete departure from the line of previous Air Max sneakers. It was something that Nike, and the world, had not seen before! The cutting-edge design with its wavy pattern and fluorescent colorway definitely live up to that!
Although Sergio – for the most part of his career at that time – worked on tennis, training, and Nike ACG products. He worked with Tinker Hatfield on a few Air Max designs before taking the lead on the AM95s.
#2 THE OG AIR MAX 95 RETAILED FOR $140
So, another strange yet interesting fact about the OG Air Max 95 is that it retailed for $140. This is definitely not a cheap sneaker – especially not in 1995. And honestly, a $140 price tag was VERY brutal.
Also, considering that the Air Jordan 11 debuted that same year for $125, it did seem too much! BUT, the good thing is that – ever since the first time it dropped – the price only hiked up to $170. So, we can live with a $30 increase every 20 years!
#3 IT WASN’T ALWAYS THE AIR MAX 95
Despite knowing it as the AM95, it wasn’t always like that! The OG Air Max 95 wasn’t actually named the “95”, although it was the shorthand identification for it. It actually had AIR MAX on the box only.
But, some boxes from 1997 sometimes had AIR MAX SC which means Sports Classic or AIR TOTAL MAX SC. But, by 1999, most labels on boxes had AIR MAX 95 on them – the official name for it!
#4 THUGS LOVED THEM FOR GETAWAYS!
Next, we’ve got an OG Air Max 95 fact that you wouldn’t expect! Naturally, Nike sneakers do NOT discriminate between people – even if they’re criminals! Who said that if you’re gonna be flying past security that you can’t be fly while doing it?
According to a police database of footprints left at crime scenes, a lot of them were Nike, Adidas, or Reebok. Now, this isn’t too surprising considering that they are the most popular sneakers in the WORLD! And, apparently, the Air Max 95 happens to be one of the best getaway shoes for a late-night heist!
#5 NIKE EVEN TURNED THEM INTO BOOTS
So, according to Nike, the best thing to do when people ADORE a silhouette is turn it into a boot! Now, we all love a good sneaker boot – especially during the Winter season. But, we aren’t completely sure that THIS is the way to do it. Talk about some bootlegging. See what we did there?
The classic OG Air Max 95 turned into a boot in what could only be described as borderline sneaker abuse. They dropped back in 2007, but they’re like the Loch Ness Monster. Quite a rare sighting! This definitely feels like something only Kanye West can pull off!
#6 THEY EVEN GOT ZIPPERS
To make matters even worse, at one point, the OG Air Max 95 got zippers. In 2001, Nike totally decided to overlook the fact that the lacing systems on these kicks were a KEY feature. Of course, it’s safe to say that they didn’t make that mistake again.
#7 RESELLERS LOVED THEM
The mark of a truly amazing sneaker is how much sneaker resellers love them. The more the resellers love them, the more money they make on the aftermarket! The insane demand for the AM95s made it virtually impossible to get it anywhere other than the resale market! You’d have to pay anywhere between $1000 to $3000 a pair! Thank the sneaker lords for sneaker bots these days, amirite?
But, we can’t deny that the OG Air Max 95 was a HUGE part of sneaker reselling. And, this just makes this sneaker even dearer to our sneakerhead hearts. Probably the unofficial official mascot for all sneaker resellers out there.
So, the moral of the story is, always have a sneaker bot on the ready! Whether you’re copping an Air Max 95, a Yeezy, or a Jumpman; you can do it all. Anything to stay clear from the wrong side of the aftermarket. Click on the button below to find the bot that’s gonna help you do that!
BONUS!
One of the funniest places that featured the OG Air Max 95 is a place you wouldn’t guess. We’re used to sneakers cameo-ing in different TV series or movies. But, what about a comic strip? The Japanese market was absolutely crazy about them! So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that it features in a teen-oriented manga!