It’s been about accessibility and approachability. On the other, the Air Max 3 has never been about generating hype. And, on one hand, it would be hard to pretend that the Air Max 3 holds the same clout as something like an Air Jordan 1 or a Yeezy 350 V2, shoes that are frequently met with instant sellouts when a new colorway drops. Oftentimes that lack of scarcity can diminish a shoe’s reputation in the sneaker scene. And now, for the first time in five years, Air Max die-hards and general wearers of dope sneakers alike will have the chance to pick up a pair of their own. There have been plenty of killer colorways of the Air Max 3 since, but none have matched the original, which is now widely considered to be one of the greatest sneakers of all time. It’s hard to overstate the popularity of this first version. Matching detailing on the heel, toe, and eyestays balanced the muted whites, blacks, and greys that made up the rest of the shoe. Called the “Infrared,” it featured a flashy reddish pink neon accent around the window, immediately drawing the eye to the Air unit. The shoe’s success might've had as much to do with its initial colorway as its design. Much like the effect Hatfield’s work on the Air Jordan 3 had on the Jordan line at large, the Air Max 3 proved that lightning could strike more than once-and paved the way for a number of classics produced under the banner in the coming years, as with the Air Max 95 and 97. It made the Air unit impossible to ignore, putting it center stage in the shoe’s design. The Air Max 3 featured a larger exposed Air unit than the 1-and, more importantly, a bigger window through which you could see it. But with the Air Max 3, that Hatfield added another classic to his resume and secured the long-term success of the Air Max line. The first Nike sneaker to feature an exposed Air unit, it quickly garnered two not-that-different follow-ups-the Air Max Light and the Air Walker Max-and a proper sequel in 1989’s Air Max 2, which featured jagged paneling and an EVA foam midsole to differentiate it from the original. Legendary designer Tinker Hatfield turned the sneaker world on its head with the release of the Air Max 1 back in 1987. And as the shoe turns 30 this year, this much is clear: people are going to wear one of the greatest sneakers of all time no matter what you call it.

The original shoe, the third proper installment of the legendary Air Max line, has been renamed by the Swoosh not once but twice. What's in a sneaker's name? When it comes to the Nike Air Max 90-or is it Air Max 3?-the answer is: plenty.

Nike air max 90 infrared