Colourway Corral: Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’

When we think of classic kicks from Nike, the Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred’, Air Max 97 ‘Silver Bullet’, Air Max 1 ‘Anniversary Red’, and of course, the Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’ come to mind.

The iconic colour combos coming from Team Swoosh almost always have unique backstories, carefully chosen to highlight signature parts of their designated shoe.

Officially given the colour code #FF2247, ‘Infrared’ was first used in 1990 to highlight the then futuristic technology that was Air. Decades later, sneakerheads are still in love with the in-your-face ‘Infrared’, whether that’s on the Air Force 1 or Air Jordan 6. However, the most iconic of all the models to get the beloved dressing is the AM90. With multiple retros and killer reinterpretations, we’ve perused the history of the Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’ to show you the best it’s had to offer over the past few years.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’ (1990)

Three years after the Air Max 1 released, the Air Max 90 burst onto the scene. It was an instant classic, allowing Nike to trap more Air than ever before and elevating the wearer to a whole new level. Brewing major hype and gaining hectic traction, the neck-breaking AM90 built a serious name for itself on the street. The ‘Infrared’ colour pop, created to highlight the larger Air unit, was originally dubbed ‘Hyvent Orange’ when it made its debut. It then copped a variety of names, including ‘MX Orange’ in 2002, ‘Infrared’ – which was the first time it was used – in 2003, and ‘HOA’ in 2005. After all that change and uncertainty, Nike settled on ‘Infrared’ for the 2008, 2011 and 2016 releases.

Nike Air Max 90/360 ‘One Time Only’ (2006)

Dropping back in 2006, this was the first ever hybrid release of the Air Max 90. The upper was taken from the OG and slapped on top of the then-new Air Max 360 sole unit. They dropped as part of Nike’s ‘One Time Only’ pack, which helped ring in the release of the AM360.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared Premium Ostrich’ (2008)

In 2008, we were blessed with a few pairs of the ‘Infrared’ Air Max 90. Amongst the throng, one that stood out from the others was the ‘Premium Ostrich’. Given the deluxe treatment, luxury materials made it to the uppers with a beautiful ostrich skin mudguard, premium leather, and plastic detailing on the ‘Infrared’ highlight. The details were low-key, yet they really set themselves apart from the OGs.

atmos x Nike Air Max 90 ‘Duck Camo’ (2013)

At a time when Nike started to hold back their colab work, Japanese sneaker retailer atmos thrived. And although they’ve dropped a ton of releases over the years, one that still stands tall to this day is the Air Max 90 ‘Duck Camo’. As the name suggests, they took the classic AM90 and splashed camo across the uppers. Elsewhere, they decided to keep the white midsole and laces, plus the all-important ‘Infrared’ deets.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared Denim’ (2014)

Rumoured to be an atmos collaboration, we later found out this was all Nike. Team Swoosh went hard on these, utilising the Air Max 90 tooling to the enth degree. The pair feature bleached denim, black snake skin plastered on the branding, and ‘Infrared’ hits… Do we need to say more?

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Hyperfuse Infrared’ (2012)

One of many Hyperfuse hybrids that released back in 2011, these Air Max 90s were originally exclusively given to guests of the Crooked Tongues BBQ alongside some merch and a colourful box label. It was thought they would never hit shelves; however, a year later, they were blessed with a wider release.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Vintage Infrared’ (2012)

Nike must have thought there were too many pristine Air Max 90s running around the street. So, to add a sprinkle of flavour, they created a ‘vintage’ version of their favourite AM90. They arrived in 2012 with all the usual details, however, the sole was slightly yellowed, exuding that aged look that us sneaker enthusiasts love.

Nike Air Max 90 Flyknit ‘Infrared’ (2016)

In 2016, Nike took a number of their models and reworked them in Flyknit. Of course, they had to tap the Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’. It was blessed with grey and white knit uppers and, at the time, they were very hard to pass up.

Nike Air Max 90 Sneakerboot ‘Infrared’ (2014)

Who remembers Nike’s Air Max 90 sneakerboot? Back in 2014, the Beaverton lab were cooking up a sneakerboot collection, and the Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’ was dubbed cool enough to join the party. Using ‘Infrared’ detailing, we see the 90 dressed in a ‘Wolf Grey’ colour scheme with an accentuated heel tab and tongue.

Nike Air Max Lunar90 3.0 ‘Infrared’ (2013)

Looking like an Air Max from the future, the silver 90 was decked out with a Lunar sole, yet was still kept relatively classic with ‘Infrared’ accents.

Nike Air Max 90 Tape ‘Infrared’ (2013)

Yet another Hyperfuse iteration sporting the classic ‘Infrared’ steez, but the difference was reflective tape running throughout the upper.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Leather Infrared’ (2014)

Dropping on Valentine’s Day in 2014, these released as somewhat of a homage, commemorating almost 30 years of Air Max. Given the usual Air Max 90 colours, they were given a new sole and a mostly white leather upper.

Nike Air Max 90 Jacquard ‘Infrared’ (2014)

These beauties were blessed with the jacquard treatment. The upper consisted of mostly black and white, while ‘Infrared’ hits helped break it up, adding that extra pop of colour.

Nike Air Max 90 Ultra 2.0 Flyknit ‘Infrared’ (2017)

As a way to help begin the 2017 Air Max Day celebrations in style, Team Swoosh thought they should make a sequel to the OG Flyknit iteration. Hence, the Air Max 90 Ultra 2.0 Flyknit was born.

Nike Air Max 90 Ultra SE ‘Infrared’ (2016)

Making its way to stores in 2016, the Air Max 90 Ultra SE took the colours straight from the classic. Team Swoosh then completely revamped it, switching up the materials and incorporating padding throughout the whole thing.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Engineered Mesh Infrared’ (2013)

Celebrating the 23rd anniversary of their Air Max 90, Nike decided to bring back the OG ‘Infrared’ with a twist. They decked out the whole upper in a brand new mesh material, definitely breaking necks on release day.

Nike Air Max 90 (2015)

Six celebratory pairs released for the Air Max 90’s 25th birthday. Despite the fact that they’re all loud and in-your-face, they make sure that the ‘Infrared’ is boosted as the main feature. ‘Cork’, ‘Paisley’, ‘Snakeskin’, ‘Crocskin’, ‘Velvet’ and ‘Hyper Jade’ pairs all made it to shelves in 2015. Which drop was your favourite?

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Radiant Red’ (2020)

Sure you can’t win them all, but Nike’s Air Max 90 ‘Radiant Red’ is still, no doubt, one of the closest ‘Infrared’ releases to mimic the original form. While the actual shade still sparks debate, similarly to the previous anniversary pairs, this release also boasted a change in the its panels, toe box, and heel in keeping with the 90s build.

Crucially, this drop also seesaws the colourway name change to better fit the era, switching from ‘Infrared’ to ‘Radiant Red’, while Team Swoosh also bought back its original model name: the Air Max III.

Nike Air Max 90 Golf ‘Infrared’ (2021)

Teeing off in 2015, the Air Max 90 Golf first debuted on tour before officially releasing as the Nike Air Zoom 90 IT in May 2016, and since then its come in a whole host of colourways, including ‘Picnic’ and more recently, ‘Hot Lime’.

However, the ‘Infrared’ edition from 2021 is obviously the focus here, arriving just five years ago with the classic AM90 colour-blocking intact. Zooming in on this particular edition, signature ‘Infrared’ hits highlighted the heel Air unit, forefoot eyestay, ankle logo, and mudguard, blending the heritage running aesthetic with golf-ready functionality.

Nike Air Max 90 GORE-TEX ‘Infrared’ (2024)

2024 marked a big year for Team Swoosh, which included the return of the Air 180 in OG form and the Air Sunder for the first time. As well as these, there was a clear move towards GORE-TEX as a key part of how heritage models – including the Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’ – were being reworked. While the colourway remained intact, the build shifted – tighter mesh, leather replacing suede, and a full GORE-TEX lining introduced for added protection. Branding followed suit, with GORE-TEX finishes replacing the usual tongue tag and window.

Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared Reflective’ (2026)

Looking back at the legacy of the Nike Air Max 90 ‘Infrared’, rumours have consistently played a role in shaping the lore around its returns. Such was the case for the Air Max 90 ‘Infrared Reflective’ – a release that came after months of rumours, albeit with slightly less-than-traditional deets.

For this iteration, the classic colour-blocking remained intact, with the signature ‘Infrared’ accents continuing to appear in their expected placements. However, on closer inspection, the most obvious change comes from the construction – the trad white mesh base has been switched out for a smooth reflective leather, low-key shifting the overall look and feel.

Fancy another colourway roundup? Tap through for our favourite ‘Neon’ releases.