Ben Affleck’s new film ‘Air’ is giving us major 80s fitspo

So, a major fashion story has met Hollywood once again. The highly anticipated Air premiered on the 5th of April and wasted no time slam-dunking references to prime 80s attire. The dramatic comedy follows Nike salesman Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) trying to get a then-rookie Michael Jordan to sign on to the company to create the iconic Air Jordan shoes. Directed by Affleck and featuring stars like Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, we head back to when Nike didn’t have the effortlessly cool factor it does now. In fact, this was the primary deal that would cement the brand as the creator of the sports shoe of the century. 

It’s all prompted HUNGER to delve into the mid-80s style of Air to pull apart some of the not-so-hot items from pre-prime Nike that could build a wardrobe for the next-gen of sportswear nuts. After all, the world now hails too many gatekeepers guarding the next fashion trends, and ‘I wore it first!’ junkies obsessing over finding items before they become a trend. 

So for costume designer Charlese Antoinette, it had to be somewhat of a struggle pulling these throwbacks from a time when Nike slightly fell under that radar. This was just before the starting point of a global pop culture icon, and the Air Jordan was going to be so much more than simply just a shoe. It epitomised the story of two of the biggest forces coming together: Michael Jordan and Nike. With that, of course, comes a slew of sleazy businessmen trying to rack their brains on how to get down with the hottest shoe design. 

What would they have worn? Well, it wasn’t exactly ‘cool’, but it somehow worked out perfectly. The mood of 1984 is framed by the politics of the leading shoewear companies at the time: Converse (who was in the lead with basketball sponsorships), Adidas, and lastly Nike. This means execs at the top of Nike were pushing to get the it factor back, and perhaps facing the odd mid-life crisis themselves. CEO and founder of the company Phil Knight (played by Ben Affleck) pips the post with the crazy 80s ‘fits. The film’s poster shows Affleck’s character completely head-to-toe in a hot pink and blue panelled tracksuit, with running tights, a matching white shirt, and a white jacket and shorts. Cool huh? It actually kind of is.

As the founder, Affleck is always in some hyper-Nike-ified drab to prove his commitment to the company, perhaps testing out the gear before they go with it. It seems as though some of the stills could be taken from now, as at his desk in one scene, Affleck dons a colour-block windbreaker with some wraparound sports sunglasses. A vintage jacket and some futuristic eyewear? What goes around comes back around.

She features three main footwear styles in the film from Nike, including the Blazer (introduced in 1973), the Waffle (the brand’s first track shoe), and the Air Pegasus ‘83. All three of these are still staple items in many wardrobes now, just hit the streets yourself and you will find a pair. But it’s how these were styled in the film that gives it that certain Portland je ne sais quois – almost an endearing dorkiness. Pairing the Nike Blazers with a blazer and shirt or the Waffle with crisp fuchsia track gear is the right way to do it. 

Another character Antoinette nailed was Michael Jordan’s mother Deloris Jordan (played at the real Michael’s request by Viola Davis). As her son was vying for a deal with Adidas, Deloris secured the partnership with Nike and changed the culture of sports marketing forever. With this comes an ode to Black female power dressing in the 80s…

When not hard-bargaining the founder of Nike, Deloris worked a job at a bank in North Carolina. A white pencil skirt, turquoise blouse, and relaxed suits galore are the ultimate professional vibe. She clearly favours a mixture of professional and glamorous, with Armani skirt suits and chunky gold jewellery as well as a collection of designer scarves pinned together with brooches. 

As Antoinette merges the worlds of the two power dressers (the 80s ladies and the corporation sportswear execs), it gives us the inspiration to do the same. Taking on this trend may mean pulling inspiration from all aspects of the 80s: pairing skirt suits with Nike’s and track jackets with dress shoes and wraparound sunnies. It’s not cool, but that’s what makes it cool.