The History of the Nike Mag

The sneakers worn by Marty McFly in "Back to the Future Part II" are here. This is how the Nike Mag came to life.

No sneaker has ever had more pop-cultural appeal than the ones worn by Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future Part II, the Nike Mag. Their ultra-high cut, light-up sole, and auto-lacing system were a look into, well, the future in 2015, from the film's 1989 perspective. They were designed by Tinker Hatfield, and it's taken Nike 27 years to make the sneakers exactly like they were in the film. But they're now here. 

It's been a long journey for the Mags to finally come to fruition the way Hatfield had imagined them almost three decades ago, and they've gone through several iterations since then, too. This is their story.

The shoes were first featured in "Back to the Future Part II"

Nike Mag History 2

Nike filed a patent for the auto-lacing system.

Nike Mag History 3

The sneaker first released in 2011, but something was missing.

Nike Mag History 4

Michael J. Fox unveils an auto-lacing pair of the Mags

Nike Mag History 5

They're finally here, the way they should be.

Nike Mag History 5