THE MAGIC BEHIND THE NIKE AIR PRESTO

Back in early 2000, “Shady Milkman” and “Rogue Kielbasa” read more as eccentric menu items than monikers for groundbreaking running shoes. But that was before an irreverent advertising campaign, designed to underscore the disruptive nature of the newly released Nike Air Presto, turned notions of performance footwear on their heads. The Presto’s original overture may have been cheeky, but the silhouette’s innovation story, which began in Korea four years before, was serious business. 1996 The first prototype for what would become the Nike Air Presto (1996). “I’m in Korea for a production meeting,” recalls Tobie Hatfield, Nike Senior Director of Athlete Innovation, who was serving as a footwear developer at the time, “and everybody was given a pair of recently released shoes. When I put the shoe on and stood up, the collar splayed out.” The less-than-perfect fit reminded Hatfield of feedback he had recently received from a focus group. Participating runners had two primary demands: First, they didn’t want their feet to fight their shoes, meaning fit was paramount and, second, they wanted footwear that offered the same comfort that slippers provide. So Hatfield set out to design a shoe that would deliver unrivaled fit and comfort. He immediately put pen to paper and his sketches soon produced a prototype featuring what Hatfield dubbed a “V-notch,” a carved-out area by the ankle intended to improve fit. Nike Air Jordan pas cher