Nike showcased its next wave of footwear today as part of its Nike on Air event in Paris. Not only did the preview include sneakers that are linked to the Olympic Games this summer, but it also featured footwear concepts that give a visualization of where the brand may be headed in the coming years.
Shown here are multiple sneaker prototypes as part of Nike's A.I.R. (Athlete Imagined Revolution) range. The displays include what appeares to be a signature concept design for Victor Wembanyama (pictured below), as well as concepts of soccer cleats and track spikes that push the boundaries of traditional footwear design. Keep in mind that this A.I.R. range is currently just conceptual, but it should serve as a guide for what's coming down the pipeline from the Swoosh.
In addition to the aforementioned A.I.R. display, Nike also revealed a collection that will be released later this summer to coincide with the Olympics in Paris. The set features the "Blueprint" pack, which includes the Pegasus 41, undefined undefined and more, along with the newly unveiled Pegasus Premium.
Scroll on for a closer look at the Nike A.I.R. footwear design concepts below.
UPDATE (04/12): After getting an initial look yesterday, Nike has now shed more light on its A.I.R. design concepts. The brand revealed that the prototypes were co-created by its elite athletes, ranging from Victor Wembanyama, to Eliud Kipchoge, to Kylian Mbappé, and combined with AI technology to envision what future Nike sneakers could look like.
The process behind creating the A.I.R. prototypes began with designers asking the aforementioned athletes what their ideal footwear would be. The designers then took the feedback and entered it onto AI prompts, which were then 3D-printed into the silhouettes we saw on display yesterday.
John Hoke, the chief innovation officer at Nike, believes that this project provides a sense of endless potential for what's to come from the brand.
“For these prototypes to be successful, they must stir emotions,” John Hoke, Nike's chief innovation officer, said. “They must evoke a sense of awe for what lies just beyond the horizon, an optimism for the future. What I really hope this project stirs up is a sense of unlimited potential. Nike Air is a nearly 50-year-young technology. We’re only at the cusp of harnessing Air’s potential, its full expression. And these footwear prototypes show we’re nowhere near done.”
