The Nike campus was buzzing this week as talented young shoe designers from around the country came together for their final presentations in the Future Sole 2010 competition. Now in its third year, the Future Sole competition was created to discover and develop the footwear designers of the future – and Jordan has been well represented along the way. Last year’s competition launched winner Austin Jermacans to the forefront, as his Future Sole design for the Jordan Melo M6 was brought to retail stores nationwide, rocked by Carmelo Anthony during the playoffs, and worn by the men’s basketball team at Syracuse University.
This year’s competition was even tougher, as the participants vying for a shot to be the next Future Sole winner increased by nearly 10,000 from last year. Entrants were tasked to come up with original shoe designs for specific launches in the Jordan, Nike N7 and Nike SB brands, with each working closely with Nike designers to hone their concepts. All participants took the stage in front of an esteemed panel of judges, including Nike designers, executives, and representatives from Eastbay, Sole Collector, Obsessive Sneaker Disorder and University of Phoenix.
We saw four incredible Jordan shoe designs and two collections of Jordan T-shirts, all of which were infused with creativity and passion for the brand. With each finalist bringing their A-game, the judges definitely had their work cut out for them.
Winning entries for shoe designs came from Chris Dixon and Allen Largin. Dixon’s “Jordan Phase 23” design demonstrated how Jordan’s moves on the court translate to specific track and field events. Breathability and ventilation (as commonly found in track spikes) were key areas of focus for Dixon, as he worked in 24 perforation holes within the shoe to represent the 24 players on the Jordan Brand roster. Largin’s M7 design was inspired by the clean lines and durability of Indy Cars. The highlighted features of his design included a carbon-fiber heel and ankle support, a graphical implementation of Flywire on the upper, and a nod to Melo himself with the word “Swaggerific” printed inside of the tongue. Trevor Gessay was the winner in the T-Shirt portion of the competition, as he showcased 10 different Jordan T-shirt designs depicting everything from trash talking, to sneaker culture and workout gear.
We walked away from Future Sole 2010 inspired by the level of detail, thought, and heart put into all of the designs. One thing’s for sure, if these students are any indication to where the sneaker and apparel industry is headed – its future is blindingly bright.
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