Nike Air has come a long way since its debut nearly half a century ago. Considered its proprietary advantage, the Air cushioning system is utilized across every category of footwear and is constantly reinvented to improve performance. Nike believes this will be the winning ingredient for their athletes on the Olympic stage this summer. To set the stage for the Olympic Games, Nike transformed Palais Brongniart in Paris to create an immersive experience through the rich history of Nike On Air: a walking tour through nearly 50 years of the brand’s most revolutionary innovation to unveil the footwear and apparel its athletes will be wearing.
The experience begins with six giant orange monuments outside of the historical Palais Brongniart, commemorating six brand titans: Alexia Putellas, LeBron James, Kylian Mbappé, Sha’Carri Richardson, Bebe Vio, and Victor Wembanyama. The monuments stand between eight and eleven feet tall—a hero’s scale. Within the same area, an augmented reality experience provides an opportunity to revisit some of Nike’s most memorable moments with Nike Air, from Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in the Zoom Kobe 1 to Michael Jordan’s famous last shot in the Air Jordan XIV, to Caitlin Clark becoming the NCAA all-time scoring leader in the Kobe 6 Protro.
Next, step inside to explore the genealogy of Nike Air, an exhibition of the Nike Air models through the years, first introduced with the Tailwind in 1978, all the way through to the Air Max Dn, Nike’s latest model unveiled earlier this year. A short hallway displays various collaborations with brand partners such as Supreme, Commes Des Garçons, Stussy, and more—key cultural moments transcending sport.
This transition leads to the main event within the space: the present state of Nike Air and a preview of their product offering across each sport for the upcoming Olympic games. While innovation is Nike’s heartbeat, their work is rooted in collaboration. They work closely with their athletes from the Nike Sport Research Lab to create the best product to enhance performance.
Through extensive research, Nike continues to break its own barriers to produce the most data-driven product to date for their athletes in their respective sports. Some standout models include the Alphafly 3, Nike’s third iteration of the “Super Shoe,” an even lighter and faster update for long-distance runners; The G.T. Hustle 3, which certifiably saves basketball athletes energy in comparison to its predecessor; and the Air Zoom Mercurial which provides sculpted fit for a barefoot feel and a 10% energy return for footballers.
The final part of the journey ends with the future of Nike Air, where an illuminated track circles the room, showcasing the new Pegasus 41 and Pegasus Premium, coming in Spring 2025. It’s difficult to imagine how much more Nike can innovate with Air, but year after year, they continue to raise the bar. Their commitment to listening to their athletes allows them to blend art and science to unlock new levels of performance with the greatest energy return to date. Literally speaking, athletes are able to save energy with Nike Air, measurably and certifiably with data-backed research. This is what Nike believes will be the difference maker for their athletes, with numerous past Gold Medals and world records to support this hypothesis.
