To sneakerheads, there is one god above all others: the elusive Tinker Hatfield, Nike designer behind almost every pair of His Airness’s kicks. In a rare interview, he explains why he works nights and what it’s like to collaborate with the greatest ever.
No offense to Phil Knight, but kids wouldn’t be camping on sidewalks for limited-edition Nikes without mad scientist Tinker Hatfield. He’s designed every pair of game-worn Jordans since ’88, the visible Air bubble, and last year’s Nike Mag—a replica of the Back to the Future Part II shoes. Sneaker freaks, it’s story time.
GQ editor Will Welch's original Jordan V's. (Photo by David Rinella)
The Flames Less Traveled
“The Jordan V was partly inspired by flames painted on a World War II plane. Michael and I used to talk about zigging while everybody else was zagging, so I made the flames point forward, not back.”
Missed Opportunities
“At one point, I pushed for a less sporty sub-brand called Jordan Beyond. When Michael did SNL in ’91, he wore a Jordan Beyond quilted green jacket. But I couldn’t make it happen. I’ve still got some samples, including a basketball shoe that was perforated like a wingtip.”
Photo by Tim Gorman
De-Office the Office
“When you’re a designer trying to think of new ideas, you need a space that’s off-the-wall and different. This book, A Pattern Language, which I read while studying architecture, explains why: An environment’s design gives you cues about how it’s used.”
Work…Just Not at Work
“I never design during business hours. It’s too distracting. I might do a few sketches, but almost all the drawings are done at night or on the weekends.”
Courtesy of Nike
Ignore the Naysayers
“I started designing the Air Jordan XI during Michael’s first retirement—I kept saying he would un-retire. People at Nike gave me a hard time, so I wanted to show those assholes that we could make the best Jordans ever. The XI was the first basketball shoe to have a carbon-fiber plate in the sole and patent leather. By the time I showed Michael, he’d started playing again.”
Courtesy of Nike
Connect the Dots
“I was looking for inspiration for the Air Jordan XIII, and I noticed that on the court Michael was smooth and stealthy, like a cat. Later, I showed him sketches of the shoe and said, ‘It’s like a black cat.’ Michael said, ‘How did you know that my best friends call me Black Cat?’ I didn’t.”
via GQ
