Title: Driven From Within
Author, Editor: Mark Vancil
Publisher: AtriaDriven From Within was released around the same time that the Air Jordan XX sneaker hit retail stores. At the time, the book reflected on the 20 years since the Air Jordan line had been created. It not only talked about the past and future of the brand, but went deeper by providing exclusive interviews with the people that helped create the brand. The book also comes with 2 foldout posters, various inspirational quotes by Michael Jordan, and numerous pictures including sneaker sketches. The combination of Tinker Hatfield interviews and pictures of his sneaker sketches is my favorite part of the book. Tinker Hatfield has been the lead Air Jordan sneaker designer since the Air Jordan III and has designed most of the sneaker line.
In his interviews he provides a detailed background as to where he got the inspiration for all of his designs. In one interview he talks about the day when he first showed Michael the Air Jordan III, at a time when Michael was unsure of whether to extend his contract with Nike. His design was so amazing that Michael decided to stay with Nike, and thus Tinker was credited with saving the Air Jordan line, and more importantly Nike. In another interview he talks about what went into designing the Air Jordan XI. Here you could see how creative Tinker can be by taking inspirations for the XI’s design from things such as high-end backpacks, the Denver International Airport, and even a yellow lawn mower. It’s one of those books that really remind’s me of how much I love sneakers and especially Air Jordan’s. This book does a nice job of describing how each Air Jordan sneaker was created and I highly recommend it for any sneaker fan.
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