This Wednesday ACCLAIM was fortunate enough to have a sneak peek of Nike Sportswear’s product offering for Winter 2013. The showing, based in the Carriageworks building in Sydney, presented the new styles emerging from the running, training, sportswear, action and football categories. With streetwear, casualwear and luxe trends taking their cues from technical and performance products in recent times, there is of course much overlap of performance product into the general sportswear releases within the brand. The huge popularity of the Free Run silhouette with fashion kids these days is evidence of this. And after seeing the upcoming season, I can say with confidence that this popularity is not going to wane any time soon.
While much of the product is embargoed until its release in Jan 2013, we can say the two key styles to look out for are the Air Max 2013 and the hugely anticipated Flyknit One.
The Air max 2013 is at its core a running shoe. It’s light as hell and softer and more flexible than its predecessor. The Max air unit extends around the whole sole, while the Hyperfuse technology (originally created for the Chinese basketball team) ensures a dynamic fit.
The Flyknit One is an edit of the original release, which see the shoe become even lighter with the introduction of the lunarlon sole. Available in a slew of new colourways, the model is sure to be massive on its release.
Aspects of the Flyknit have also carried through to apparel with the introduction of the SS Seamless shirts. Created from a single thread as with the footwear, the SS ensures no irritation or chafing due to it’s… well lack of seams. Again, the technical attributes of the product also result in a quite beautiful design aesthetic. Like much of Nike’s product, the intention of the object is always visible which results in a really clean, utilitarian aesthetic that will no doubt be eaten up by the fash-pack.
The other exciting development is the brand’s partnership with Xbox. Nike+ Kinect Training. Whilst gym and video games combined generally sounds like my idea of hell, this game (for want of a better word) was actually awesome! In a scene that felt like it was plucked out of Back to the Future, using Kinect technology your real life outline is accompanied on screen by a virtual trainer who caters a program for you based on goals and your weight and ability. They can also tell if you’re doing the exercises correctly and how fast you’re doing them and you can tell how much Nike Fuel you’re burning in the process. The program is out Nov 1st. Alas I don’t have an Xbox… but suddenly I have an overwhelming need for one I feel. All in the name of exercise right.
Have a look at images from the showing above. Not too many close-ups alas, damn embargos!