Float on air, float on air Pressurized gas inside the sole.

How a ruined waffle iron launched the Nike empire

Chapter 1

The breakfast table breakthrough

Chapter 2

Designing a legendary identity

Chapter 3

The art of the cultural endorsement

Chapter 4

Engineering the future of flight

YOUR GOAL

Master of How a ruined waffle iron launched the Nike empire

Ch 4 · Engineering the future of flight

nike Nike Air Engineering

Float on air, float on air Pressurized gas inside the sole.

Nike’s 'Air' sole was invented by a NASA aerospace engineer.

Weaving shoes out of single threads

nike Spools of thread feed into a machine knitting a seamless Nike Flyknit shoe.

Making the invisible air visible

nike A Renaissance fresco painting displays a classical shoe with a luminous, transparent heel window

Fun Fact

Air cushion origin: Marion Frank Rudy spent years pitching his air-sole technology to multiple skeptical shoe companies before Nike finally accepted it.

Gossip

What sneaker technology matters most to you?

Quiz

Which famous Parisian building inspired Tinker Hatfield to design visible shoe technology?

Gossip

How much would you pay for rare sneakers?

Quiz

Who is the legendary Nike designer behind the Air Max 1 and many iconic Air Jordan models?

Quiz

What sustainable knitting technology did Nike introduce in 2012 to make seamless, lightweight shoe uppers?

Quiz

What was the profession of Marion Frank Rudy, the inventor who pitched 'Air' cushioning to Nike?

Quiz

Which high-end designer collaborated with Nike on the ultra-rare 2020 Air Force 1s that sold at Sotheby's?

Quiz

Which iconic shoe was the first to feature a visible 'Air' window in its sole in 1987?

Quiz

By approximately what percentage did Flyknit technology reduce raw material waste in shoe uppers?

Quiz

What is the estimated global market value of the sneaker resale industry today?