Introduced in 1990 as the Nike Air Max III, the Nike Air Max 90 turned more heads with an even larger visible Air unit and greater stability and cushioning. It has been re-released as a retro version with an immeasurable amount of colorways and themes. The Air Max 90 was referred to as the Air Max or the Air Max III until 2000, when it was reissued. It takes its current name from its launch year, 1990.The first colourway produced was the men's white / black / cool grey / red. It was striking to say the least: the radiant red around the visible Air window exaggerated the thickness of the midsole, and the matching thermoplastic straps and rubber heel patch added to the overall effect. The upper was made of Duromesh, synthetic suede and synthetic leather. The clean lines and dazzling colours made the Air Max a higly sought-after.

In the same year, Nike produced special leather limited edition models in several colourways - the all-black leather model is particularly rare - and there were some truly amazing versions released in 2002. Nike launched an Escape Air Max 90 and a python-inspired edition. Both of these were in high demand by sneaker collectors. This model is especially favoured in Europe.