Nike pays tribute to the history of running. Retro designs pulled from the brand's secret archives.
Nike has unveiled its new Nike International Running Pack collection. The brand draws on archival running footwear and incorporates modern technologies, just in time for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The new Nike International Running Pack collection aims to celebrate the brand's running roots . The company aims to connect them with today's innovations , which are essential to meeting the expectations of today's runners.
Nike therefore drew on designs from the Department of Nike Archives , the brand's secret archive, which reportedly houses over 200,000 prototypes , sketches , and objects through which the company aims to preserve its rich heritage. Based on retro ideas but with today's needs in mind, four running shoe models were created: the Vaporfly 4 , Alphafly 3 , Pegasus 41 , and Vomero 18 .
Nike presents the Nike International Running Pack collection. Photo: Press materials / NikeThe timing of the collection's release is no coincidence. The World Athletics Championships will take place in Tokyo from September 13-21. Nike wants to emphasize its ties to Japan and the country's running community.
- Our goal when designing the Nike International Running Pack was to reflect the deep relationship between Nike and Japan , dating back to the early years of our brand - says Katsunobu Asayama , chief designer of the footwear collection.
nike-international-running-pack-6.jpgHe adds that the collection is a response to the vintage style popular in Japan .
New Nike models initially only available in JapanThe Vaporfly 4 is inspired by the famous 1976 Pre Montreal model, which was created under the influence of legendary runner Steve Prefontaine.
Nike presents the new Vaporfly 4 running model. Photo: Press materials / NikeThe Alphafly 3, in turn, harks back to the Sting model, released two years after the aforementioned Pre Montreal . It was Nike's first racing shoe to be constructed using suede and nylon .
In addition, we also have the Pegasus 41 and Vomero 18 models. The former draws on the design of the famous Waffle Racer , while the latter is designed based on the iconic silhouette of the LD-1000 .
Nike presents the new Vomero 18 running model. Photo: Press materials / NikeEach of the new models pays homage to the 1970s while embracing modern technology and capabilities. They also pair perfectly with the accompanying apparel collection, which celebrates Japanese style and the local running community .
The collection will be available in Japan on September 5th and globally on September 10th. Ready for some retro running?
