The birth of the Nike Air Force 1 took place when Nike launched the shoe in 1982. This was the creation of designer, Bruce Kilgore and became the first Nike basketball shoe to utilize the famous Nike Air Technology. The first wear test was made for college basketball programs that gave them the experience of full length air cushioning.

The Nike Air Force 1 discontinued the following year after launch but was re-released in 1986 with the modern italic Nike logo with a swoosh on the bottom on the back of the shoe.

Nike Air Force One hit the basketball courts and urban playgrounds and quickly caught on with black youth, thanks to basketball star endorser Charles Barkley. With the subsequent help of basketball and hip-hop, the Nike Air Force 1 became a fashion icon, transcending from one industry to another and so forth becoming the shoe that can be worn anywhere and by anyone.

The shoes are sold in three different types. There is the Nike AF1 Low, AF1 mid-top, and the AF1 high-top and the all come in many different colors, forms, textures, and patterns. The two most common forms of the Air Force 1s are the all white-on-white and, all black-on-black pairs. The Mid-Top Air Force 1 is a variation of the shoe and comes with a non-removable strap and a higher top.

There have been little alterations to the Air Force One since its creation in 1982, although the original stitching on the side panels is no longer present in modern versions of the trainer. The name refers to the Air Force One plane that carries the President of the United States.

A variation of the Nike Air Force 1, the Air Force 2 was introduced in 1987, re-released in the early 2000s These were a typical flat soled, casual wear sneaker made in low-cut or high-top style and could be custom made in any colour.

With such a diverse following the AF1 shoe is still at the pinnacle of urban cool. Since 1986 over 1,700 color variations have been produced, bringing in an estimated 800 million USD/yr in revenue for Nike.