New: Nike’s AIR drives the Future of Performance for Athletes

Definitely a lot to unpack here.

As mentioned previously, Nike had their “Nike On Air” event in Paris this past week. At the center of it all ws the brand’s proprietary platform: Nike Air. Nike continuously listens to their athletes, learning more about their needs to become better. Air first debuted back in 1978 with the Air Tailwind, and we’ve seen the technology evolve over time, becoming a story of constant reinvention and never-ending progress.

We’ve seen Air made in various sizes, shapes and pressures to further aid the athlete. As it is in constant evolution, the brand is closing the gap between what is known (sport science), what can be imagined (design) and what can be made (manufacturing).

Mind you, innovation and application has come a long way from merely encapsulating Air or creating mockups to fit the athlete. Nike scientists, researchers and designers use AI, algorithmic tool to fully unlock what Air can provide. Using computational engineering and finite element analysis, for example, Nike teams can run multiple simulations in parallel, meaning they don’t need to trust a hypothesis alone, and they can quickly evaluate a dozen possible solutions and know they’re getting the best one.

All these scientific mumbo jumbo can now calculate how these digital models will perform in the real world. This past week, Nike unveiled their latest innovation – the first sculpted, visible Air Zoom unit found in the all-new Pegasus Premium.

Alongside the Pegasus Premium, Nike unveiled the Nike Blueprint Pack – a collection showcasing the brand’s Air-powered silhouettes which included the Nike Victory 2, Nike Maxfly 2, GT Hustle 3, and their latest premium football boot, the 2024 Nike Mercurial. The Blueprint Pack colorway is inspired by co-founder Bill Bowerman and his obsession of reach the best possible athlete performance. Bowerman used a ballpoint pen and “dot” a Swoosh on the side, to help save weight from stitching the logo.

The 13-shoe colleciton is set to drop this Summer, alongside another energy-driving colorway pack prior to the Games.

“At the heart of all we do is the athlete — we exist to push boundaries and take risks on their behalf,” says Martin Lotti, Nike Chief Design Officer. “This summer, the difference-maker is the massive energy return of Nike Air. With these Air-powered products, I’m inspired not just by what we created in service of athletes, but also by the feeling that we’re at the beginning of an incredible new journey.”

The Nike Blueprint Pack will be available at nike.com and select retailers July 3.