Nike recently revealed its 2021 Tokyo Olympics Summer Collection, to be worn by US Team members when they compete in the games later this month.
Nike puts sustainability at the heart of this collection, as pants and jackets were made using 100% recycled material and its footwear was constructed with partially recycled materials.
The range features a “Rawdacious” colour palette that sports a fusion of white as a primary colour with a dash of other vivid colors such as pink, orange and crimson.
The star of the lineup though is specially reserved for medalists, which would be the brand new hands-free Nike Glide FlyEase.
You could see it as a revamp of Nike’s first-ever completely hands-free Go FlyEase kicks, but what sets it apart is that the Glide FlyEase has a flexible heel, deviating from the Go FlyEase’s bi-stable hinge.
How it’s supposed to work is that when you step into the shoe, the flexible heel falls into place to secure the foot before an elastic cord pulls down over it, resulting in a comfortable fit. The Glide FlyEase’s ZoomX foam underfoot is made of recycled materials as well.
Nike’s FlyEase shoes were made for greater accessibility, benefitting people who may not be able to put on their shoes due to disabilities and other mobility constraints.
The FlyEase technology introduces methods to allow people to wear their shoes with one or no hands, featuring options such as zippered uppers, cable-and-strap systems, clicks and easy slip-ons. FlyEase shoes were also made to accommodate different foot shapes, providing inclusivity for people with a range of braces and supports. Nike’s FlyEase line first debuted in 2015.
Its Go FlyEase was first announced earlier in February, and retailed in the US for 120 USD (RM 498), but it sold out within minutes, with resellers now selling a pair for as low as RM1,575.
The limited run of shoes for sale drew criticism towards the athlete-centric brand, with some even saying that the brand was ” exploiting inspirational stories of people with disabilities to sell a shoe that many of them won’t be able to afford.” However, Nike assured fans that there will be more opportunities to procure its Go FlyEase shoes.
There is no word on when the Glide FlyEase will be available yet, but you can check out other FlyEase variants on Nike’s website.
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