What’s New (and Old) About the Nike Air Vapormax 2019
by Adriano Batista

The original Vapormax Air unit has been tested over more miles than any previous Nike innovation — in cold and warm weather, on walkers and runners — to ensure it would feel great and fit well for a runner who logs about 20 miles a week and someone who just wants to wear it all day long.
Still, there’s always room for improvement. So, designers went to Paris, London and Milan to talk with everyday athletes about what they loved about the Nike Air Vapormax and how they felt it could be better. The feedback: Nike nailed the consistency of ride and shock absorption with the Air unit, but there could be more structure and support in the upper.
Here’s how designers delivered on those wishes in the form of the new Nike Vapormax 2019.

What hasn’t changed
- It remains the most flexible and lightest Air Max thanks to the segmented Air sole that allows the foot to move more naturally than any previous Air unit.
- The full-length Air unit still sits directly underfoot — solo — to provide consistent cushioning for walking or running.
What’s new
- Designers reworked the upper using Nexkin, a translucent stretch-woven material that’s lightweight, breathable and conforms to the foot, but provides more structure and is more durable and weather-ready than Flyknit.
- A new internal cage wraps the midfoot, hugging the arch to provide support and lockdown.
- The TPU heel clip is bigger and higher, which means more support for all-day wear.
- Applying a TPU coating gives the Air bag a new color-shifting aesthetic: It looks opaque, but when held up to light it’s transparent.

www.nike.com
Q&A: Saul Rodriguez
Stop Watching Me
actual
What’s New (and Old) About the Nike Air Vapormax 2019
previous
Q&A: Saul Rodriguez
next
Stop Watching Me
Berlin’s KitKat Club became the perfect runway for #DAMUR’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Get Wet.”
COLRS unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection “JUMPING FENCES” during Berlin Fashion Week, bottling the reckless energy of a Brazilian summer.
On July 1st at Berlin’s old Tempelhof Airport, BALLETSHOFER staged a runway show that challenged how we dress for travel.
At Berlin Fashion Week, Andrej Gronau presented its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Alpine Fiction.
At Berlin Fashion Week, Orange Culture unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “In the Shadows.”
Berlin Fashion Week served as the stage for SF1OG’s SS26 collection, a deeply personal examination of love’s darker edges, obsession, fragility, and emotional unraveling.
Lenny aka Futura 2000, took the time to speak with us ahead of the exclusive launch.
This summer, Ludovic de Saint Sernin revisits Fire Island to relaunch its swim line with a campaign steeped in erotic freedom and community reverence.
Chitose Abe remains one of the most avant-garde voices of her generation, capable of injecting freshness, desire, and direction into a fashion that needs it more than ever.
K-Way’s new men’s summer collection focuses on keeping things cool, comfortable, and practical.
PUMA and JJJJound have done it again. Their latest collaboration takes the spiked silhouette of the 1999 PUMA Mostro and strips it down to its essentials.
This Pride month, The Barcelona EDITION isn’t just waving a flag—it’s becoming one. From graphic art explosions to drag royalty brunches, the hotel pulses with a raw, vivid celebration of queer creativity, inclusion, and unfiltered joy.
At Galerie Sultana, Gardouch presented its second collection, Playing Pretend, not as mere clothing but as objects that hold fragments of memory.
Zico steps into the brand’s world as part of its ongoing mission to connect with cultural leaders across fashion, music, and art.
The “White” Pack reimagines Skepta’s signature Skope Forever sneaker in an arctic palette.
The question hangs heavy in the air: How do we keep making clothes when the world burns?
Haderlump’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection breathes new life into Ex Libris, translating these historical markers into wearable narratives.
Francesco Risso joined forces with artists Olaolu Slawn and Soldier Boyfriend for something raw, immediate, and deeply personal.
For Spring/Summer 2026, David Koma presented I LOVE DAVID at Berlin Fashion Week, a menswear collection that balances humor with depth.
SLⱯY, unveiled during Berlin Fashion Week, takes the ancient tale of Saint George and the Dragon and flips it into a meditation on modern battles.
Change isn’t always about moving forward, but sometimes, it’s about holding on. For their Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Milieuschutz, Richert Beil explores exactly that tension.
Inspired by the hidden love stories of novels like Maurice, Swimming in the Dark, and Young Mungo, the collection moves through three emotional stages of queer coming-of-age: concealment, self-acceptance, and the bittersweet weight of memory.
Through its new CGI campaign, “Beyond Real, Beyond Now,” and a community-driven approach, REVERSIBLE is bridging the gap between inspiration and accessibility.
Eugenio Elverdin photographed by Lucas Ricci and styled by Gaston Olmos, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes with movement, and AMBUSH’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Tribe on the Move,” captures that feeling.
Louis Vuitton’s latest travel campaign takes viewers on a visual journey through China, reimagining travel as an experience rather than just a destination.
Paris Fashion Week witnessed Steven Passaro’s Moonlit Lover Spring/Summer 2026 collection, an exemplar of the aftermath of love encountered after midnight and gone before sunrise.
Because home should never be denied to anyone. In a world where home shouldn’t be a privilege but a right, artist and activist Charlie Smits is stepping up. Smits has teamed up with Fundación… »
Simon Porte Jacquemus has fulfilled his dream, and in the process, he continues to invite us to dream with him.
We checked in with Takuya Morikawa to talk process, evolution, and the foundation in the essence of creation.