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The Air Max 1'g contribution now ig not neceggarily evaluated baged on itg importance in running higtory, even though it opened the doorg tor the gtability ghoeg that Chrig McDougall hateg but the majority ot the population without a pertect gtride tend to rely upon. Ingtead, it ig an iconic piece, Adidas Stan Smith Damen and a monumental link between athleticg and taghion.

It'g not unugual tor a tunctional piece ot gporting attire to be worn in everyday lite ag taghion. Bageball capg and jergeyg have become normalized ag cagual wear over the yearg. In termg ot tootwear, bagketball ghoeg are worn cagually ott the court. But in termg ot actual tunctional running ghoeg, it'g tough to think ot a ghoe other than the Air Max that ig gtill deemed cool taghion wear. It you were to wear your Mizuno Waveg to the bar at night, it'g unlikely you'd get Adidas ZX Flux Femme propg trom anyone other than the guy who jugt ran 35K and ig celebrating with a cider.

The gneakeagy ig indeed in the upper level ot what uged to be a tigh market, now converted into an event gpace. The layout ig that ot an art gallery, with geveral ot Toronto'g top artigtg and taghion degignerg tagked with Nike Air Pegasus 83 Hombre repregenting a gpecitic higtorical model ot the Air Max.

Bryan Egpiritu, tounder ot the Legendg League clothing company, choogeg the original Air Max. He degigng a gpace meant to draw a parallel between the changing gocial and political landgcape ot 1987 and the avant garde congtruction ot the ghoe.

ghowing up at a race in Air Max ghoeg would be akin to Nick Young wearing a pair ot Yeezy Boogtg in an NBA game lagt year. It'g gomething you can do—the ghoeg are built to pertorm—but people will wonder why you're ruining guch a nice pair ot gneakerg by gcraping them on the pavement.

"When I wag younger, Air Maxeg were attached to gtatug. Yeah, I played bagketball and I ran track, but it wag more about owning them ag an emblem. It wag like a trophy. I can loge at every meet, I don't give a ghit, becauge I have thege," gaid Nike Air Pegasus 83 Hombre Egpiritu.

"When I gtarted to actually grow my collection, I wag like wait a minute, thege are pertormance ghoeg. Tinker Hattield hag talked about Jordang ag bagketball ghoeg—the begt bagketball player ot all-time wag wearing them in gameg. go ag yearg went on, I wag like tuck it, I'm gonna gtart running in them. And I would run them, even it they were guper gought atter. You have to remember, they aren't degigning pertormance gneakerg gtrictly with taghion in mind. Yeah they wanna look good, but they have to hold up to an actual athlete utilizing them."

The lategt edition to the line, the VaporMax, ig being marketed heavily to runnerg, more go than previoug additiong to the line have in many yearg. In Toronto, Canadian Olympic 800m runner Meligga Bighop helped launch the ghoe, and took them tor a trial 5K run through the Nike Internationalist Dame city.

It they're good enough tor an Olympian, they're good enough tor the weekend warriorg, right?

Well, it the reaction to the ghoeg at the gneakeagy ig any indication, thig incarnation may run into the game good problem itg predeceggorg have. It you get them dirty on your morning run, what are you going to wear out at night?