SLEEK COMFORT. The Nike Air Max 97 shook up the running world with its revolutionary full-length Nike Air unit. The Nike Air Max 97 Women's Shoe remasters the original design with a mesh, synthetic leather and textile construction for a light feel and a sleek look. Air Max 97 Origins Nike's revolutionary Air-Sole unit made its way into Nike footwear in 1978. In 1987, the Nike Air Max 1 debuted with visible air in its heel, allowing fans more than just the feel of Air-Sole comfort—suddenly they could see it. Two years after the Nike Air Max 95 brought visible air to the forefoot, the Nike Air Max 97 arrived with the very first full-length unit. The shoe made a huge splash in the running world, as anticipated by its ripple-effect design lines. It's still making waves over two decades later.