"At Stanford University two sales representatives from Nike were watching the athletics team practise. Part of their job was to gather feedback from the company's sponsored runners about which shoes they preferred. Unfortunately, it was proving difficult that day as the runners all seemed to prefer... nothing" - from Christopher McDougall's forthcoming book "Born to Run" which looks at the story the growth of the $20 billion running shoe industry. Starting form Bill Bowerman's Cortez in 1972 onwards runners have seen a steady flow of innovations to improve performance and reduce injury rates. Only it would appear they may not work. By way of contrast the book includes coverage of the Mexican Tarahumara tribe who run ultramarathons with shoes made from car tyres on their feet.
posted by rongorongo on Apr 20, 2009 - 38 comments

Designer Jeff Staple may have his name on Levis but he really made his name in 2005 when, in conjunction with Nike, he put a pigeon logo on 200 pairs of Nike Dunks. Today they sell for up to $3000. In June The Pigeon made a special appearance on a camera and now The Pigeon returns on 650 pairs of New Balance shoes that are released globally on Wednesday. Nike probably wont be impressed.
posted by meech on Aug 3, 2008 - 49 comments

Nike Air McFly to be released?!
posted by hermitosis on Apr 17, 2007 - 55 comments

It's the shoes. Yeah, another iPod post. And a Nike post. iPod + Nike, guaranteed to inflame millions.
posted by fixedgear on May 23, 2006 - 46 comments

Nike doesn't want poor people to buy its shoes. Funny, you'd think K-Mart and Nike would have a lot in common.
posted by mrgrimm on May 7, 2005 - 60 comments

Cultural Revolution When Nike founder Phil Knight first traveled to China in 1980, before Beijing could even ship to U.S. ports, the country was just emerging from the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. By the mid-'80s, Knight had moved much of his production to China from South Korea and Taiwan. But he saw China as more than a workshop. "There are 2 billion feet out there," former Nike executives recall his saying. "Go get them!". The Chinese responded (the goal was "to hook kids into Nike early and hold them for life"): sales through the 1990s picked up 60% a year. Here's how Phil Knight did it. Print page for main link here
posted by matteo on Oct 29, 2004 - 8 comments

Chucks News of Nike's buyout of Converse got me thinking about the oldest sneakers around. I don't mean that crusty pair buried in your closet, unless it's (likely for some of us) the Chuck Taylor All-Star basketball shoe. Sure, some of us wouldn't be caught in a pair, but as the choice of legends, the uniform footwear of baby-boomer youth (knock-offs were worn at risk of mild derision) and as a cultural mission statement, this 80-year-old low-tech affair is still chuck-full of game, and still as affordable as that other guy's shoe isn't. Fortunately for the shoe's many adoring fans, the word is that the Star won't be replaced by a Swoosh.
posted by LinusMines on Jul 11, 2003 - 39 comments

Where can I get a shoe like this?
posted by quibx on Nov 6, 2002 - 51 comments

Nike Air Jordan XVII priced at 200.00. Nike unviels this years prize court shoe that comes complete with metal carrying case and CD. But $200? Thats a wholelota Doritos yo!
posted by Brilliantcrank on Feb 4, 2002 - 54 comments

What's that you're wearing, Fidel? Nike's?
posted by dagny on Jul 27, 2001 - 22 comments

Mini-riots break out over gray Nike shoes while people here discuss marketing items to teenagers. "I'm mad," said one girl "I want my shoes."
posted by gluechunk on Mar 4, 2001 - 9 comments

So Shey tried to order a pair of Nike's from their custom shop with the word "sweatshop" on them. They refused three times, listing a new excuse every time. I smell a great culture jamming project. My suggestion? Let's all go do the same.
posted by fraying on Feb 4, 2001 - 30 comments

Watch out for me I sue. This is precisely the kind of madness that needs to end...I thought you learned to tie your shoes in 1st grade.
posted by neo452 on Apr 6, 2000 - 4 comments

Nike this weekend will unveil a new 50-second commercial. The first 30 seconds will appear in a TV commercial before Saturday's Dolphins-Jaguars game. The second 20 seconds will be available at the Web site. The ad was created by Wieden & Kennedy of Portland.
posted by luke on Jan 12, 2000 - 4 comments

So Nike has this custom shoe thing online and the whole thing seems ridiculous to me. Luckily, I'm not alone, because someone way more witty than I came up with some great custom shoes of their own. I wonder if Nike would actually produce those if you ordered them? I bet the 'Air 3rdworld' shoes could win Nike a truth in advertising award somewhere.
posted by mathowie on Nov 29, 1999 - 3 comments