The Air Force 1s were created by designer Bruce Kilgore. These were the first basketball shoe to use the Nike Air technology.

Little has changed 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 these custom Air Force Ones. Since then, over 1,700 color variations have been produced.

Air Force 1s were originally considered the favored shoe of inner-city youth, then hip-hop artists and streetball players. Rappers Nelly & The St. Lunatics collaborated on a 2002 single entitled Air Force Ones about the shoes.