Nike: Form Follows Motion

Unfolding five decades of design, collaboration and cultural impact from one of the most iconic sneaker brands of all time

Published to accompany the fall 2024 exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, this volume explores the design history of Nike, one of the world’s most revered sports brands. The exhibition catalog follows the evolution of the company’s design culture, tracing milestones, iconic objects and inspirations across their 50-year legacy. It also highlights Nike’s scientific research, which always begins with close examination of the body in motion, ultimately melding technology, function and aesthetics.

The book features a wealth of previously unseen materials including rarities and one-offs from the company’s early days in the 1960s, original design drawings and prototypes of iconic sneaker models, historical documents and films, and the results of collaborations with creative figures such as Virgil Abloh and Marc Newson. It also illuminates the stories behind iconic objects and innovations, such as the development of the first waffle sole in the kitchen of Nike cofounder Bill Bowerman, or the story of the Tennessee State University Tigerbelles, a team of Black female athletes during the Black Power era in the United States.

Leading design historians provide essays on diverse topics including the use of graphics, collaborative relationships with athletes and fashion designers, advanced R&D and more. In addition, the book features excerpted interviews with over 50 figures who have played a key role in Nike’s history, arranged in a readable conversational format. Not just for “sneakerheads,” the book provides deep insight into one of the world’s most sophisticated design entities and the relationship between product design, technical innovation and social change.