10 Sneaker Designs You Need to Know About
These days, there's a lot going on in the world of sneaker design. Brands are putting forth an effort to change the complexion of the industry and consumers have become appreciative of these endearing ways.
It's time to expose everyone out there to 10 innovative designs. This is all about stuff that's completely changing the way we look at not only performance, but also fashion.
Your usual suspects are all here. Adidas, Jordan Brand, Nike and Under Armour have remained catalysts of change. Each company has done a remarkable job of reinventing the industry.
Using technological advancements and the introduction of riveting materials as a guide, let's get right to it. Here are 10 sneaker designs you need to know about.
Adidas NMD
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Adidas' NMD takeover is slowly but surely going down. The brand's expansion into lifestyle runners started with the Ultra Boost in 2015 and has continued with the NMD.
A Primeknit textile makes up the foundation of the shoe. It's a lightweight, vigorous material that is incredibly breathable on the foot.
Of course, Adidas' trademark Boost technology has been installed into the sole. That foam-based material has become the brand's calling card. It continues to impress, even amalgamated with a Primeknit upper.
The company has unleashed a steady wave of NMD colorways. It's a move that, despite sounding like classic oversaturation of a product, has actually been good for exposure.
If you can manage to get your hands on a pair, do it immediately. Very few sneakers around today compare to the NMD in terms of wearability, style and performance.
Under Armour SpeedForm Slingshot
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Under Armour's contribution to sneaker design often goes unnoticed—minus the company's partnership with Stephen Curry. It's an astonishing narrative when you realize how great the brand's kicks have been.
The Under Armour SpeedForm Slingshot is a recent drop that embodies that theory.
This is a shoe you wear to run in, and run fast. A low-cut silhouette creates a dynamic avenue for maximum performance. Under Armour also held back no punches, using compression zones to build an aesthetically pleasing sneaker.
Here's an important tidbit of information: Did you know the SpeedForm Slingshot conforms to a person's body? This allows the shoe to become one with your foot. There's no extra space, weight or elements that will slow a runner down.
To top it all off, Under Armour designers added in a Pebax plate into the midsole. That was included to ensure maximum burst.
All in all, the SpeedForm Slingshot is another innovative sneaker from the performance conglomerate. It showcases how far Under Armour has come as a sneaker entity.
Nike HyperAdapt 1.0
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Self-lacing sneakers? You have to be out of your mind, Marty McFly. Finally, Nike went full Back to the Future mode and created a smart shoe.
They might not be the high-top Nike Air Mags that Michael J. Fox wore, but it's a tremendous step in the right direction.
The Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 illustrates years of innovation. It's a wearable engineering dream that should spark the interests of avid sneakerheads and regular consumers.
Nike's innovation team built this sneaker to help athletes. The art of self-lacing means that these kicks won't lose traction. Adjustments can be made on the fly, keeping your foot secured into place.
A sharp, low-top design makes this sneaker wearable for athletic endeavors as well as casual ventures. Dropping during 2016's holiday season, the Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 is the start of something big.
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Adidas Pure Boost ZG Prime
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Primeknit has been all of the rage in the world of running. It's an atmospheric material that allows an individual to perform without being weighed down or flustered by heavy materials.
Adidas has gone all-in with their version of the Primeknit material, lacing myriad kicks with it. A fresh variant of that presented itself in the form of the Adidas Pure Boost ZG Prime.
Intended to be a running shoe, the Pure Boost ZG uses a Primeknit upper for all of the reasons stated prior. The incomparable Boost platform was also muscled into the midsole, in order to complete the shoe.
The reason that the Adidas Pure Boost ZG Prime is here isn't because it's a groundbreaking idea. What this shoe represents more than anything else is Adidas' ongoing initiative of giving consumers an emphatic performance sneaker that can be purchased without having to wait in lines or sell your soul.
Nike Hyperdunk 2016
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Is anyone up for another Flyknit classic? If so, here comes the Nike Hyperdunk 2016.
The basis for this sneaker was birthed eight years ago. Today, its evolution has become a direct representation of Nike's success in the world of basketball.
You don't have to attach a signature athlete to the Hyperdunk. That's one of the dopest things about it. The shoe's original design speaks for itself.
The Flyknit upper used on the Hyperdunk 2016 circles back to the notion that maximum support doesn't have to feel overbearing. It works beautifully thanks to designer Leo Chang's vision.
Additional features that stand out include Flywire cables in the forefoot—a technology best used to support explosive lateral movements—and a herringbone traction system.
The Hyperdunk has become an essential part of Nike's basketball ethos. The shoe is always on point, forward-thinking and easy to play in. This updated 2016 version will set its sights on crushing the basketball market when it finally releases in July.
Nike Air Max 90 Ultra Superfly T
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Tinker Hatfield's ambitious take on the Nike Air Max 90 was put forth as the company builds up to its annual Air Max Day.
As a longtime proponent of boundary-pushing design, Hatfield reconstructed the shoe the only way he knows how. "I struggle just being a colorist or an arbiter of style. So if I’m asked to redo an Air Max, I’m going to change it," he mentioned on News.Nike.com.
The shoe was altered by the addition of a sneaker collar. It fosters in technological advancement for support, while giving the shoe a modern design.
Hatfield's Air Max 90 Ultra Superfly T is releasing in limited quantities on March 22. Those yearning for a special edition Air Max will be all over this shoe.
Jordan Ultra.Fly
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Jordan Brand and the Air Jordan line often get lost within each other. Any sneaker fitted with a Roman numeral next to it and a Jumpman logo on it immediately hogs the limelight.
That's cool. Who doesn't love Air Jordans? But all of that hype does place blinders on Jordan Brand's other innovative efforts.
The Jordan Ultra.Fly is a sneaker that deserves your attention. Assembled to honor Michael Jordan's Black Cat nickname—a name he earned because of his scintillating playoff performances—the Ultra.Fly is a welcomed addition to the Jordan Brand family.
The shoe starts with a sturdy Kurim overlay, meant to reinforce an otherwise simple silhouette. The cage-like look formed from it resembles a slew of crater markings dispersed across the moon.
Besides a peculiar design, flexibility is the core selling point of the Ultra.Fly model. Thanks to a nine-chamber Nike Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, there are no stiff areas to be found.
You can chalk the Ultra.Fly up as another striking advancement in Jordan Brand's extensive profile. Set to hit retailers on April 2 in three distinct colorways, this sneaker will thrill on-court enthusiasts as well as casual fans.
Nike Air VaporMax
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Nike is sitting back, cranking the volume up on innovation. The company's continued efforts to rupture the ebb and flow of sneaker culture has never been more apparent than the unveiling of the Nike Air VaporMax model.
The Air bag sole Nike went out and commissioned effectively removed the use of a typical foam midsole. That's a big change in terms of creation. It not only retracts the weight of the shoe, but it also gives the design a more slender look and feel.
The VaporMax's upper is sweet too. It was systematically conjoined to the air unit. That feature definitely takes some time getting used to.
But once you get past it, you'll realize this is what Nikes does best. The company continues to shatter expectations, and the Nike Air VaporMax is proof of that.
Nike Air Zoom KD9
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Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant remains one of Nike's signature athletes. And with Kobe Bryant walking away from hoops at the end of this season, Durant's signature sneaker line could prove to even more prevalent moving forward.
Big things were expected from the KD9 after all of the variations and changes the KD8 underwent. The reveal turned out to be worth the wait.
The Nike Air Zoom KD9 was conjured up by bringing together an alliance of Nike Flyknit and Zoom Air technologies. A use of those materials in harmony with one another seems like it's becoming the way of the west for basketball kicks.
To no one's surprise, Durant decided to stay with a low-cut look. That's been the basis for his signature line, minus the recent KD8 Elite.
The KD9 is all about vigor. Nike's Flyknit material ensures that statement to be classified as gospel. It's a beautiful, flashy addition to the shoe.
On the flip side, the Zoom Air unit was installed strictly to divert impact from Durant's ankles. Basketball fans will greatly appreciate the inclusion of that technology.
What Nike gave the world was a snapshot of the future. The Nike Air Zoom KD9 is a robust shoe that looks great and is loaded with considerable technological advancements. Designer Leo Chang hit this one out of the park.
Adidas Tubular Doom
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Adidas' flock of designers continued their trend of impressing the masses with the Tubular Doom. This shoe is a renovated take on the original Adidas Tubular, which first hit retailers in 2014.
Since that time period, Tubulars have become part of Adidas' way of life. The Doom is simply a sophisticated take on that base shoe using perforated mesh and neoprene to improve on already sharp decal.
Adidas isn't afraid to try new things. That's why Doom models aren't limited to one material. You can find Primeknit cuts as well as the textile look featured above.
It doesn't matter what version you cop. Adidas' Tubular Doom is a sneaker that has effectively found its market in the world of athletic fashion.
All Nike/Jordan product information via News.Nike.com unless noted otherwise. All Adidas information via News.Adidas.com unless noted otherwise.
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