Good news for sneakerheads in Southeast Asia as the trendy Nike collection made in collaboration with 3M is making its way to the region. Nike and 3M have collaborated to features best-in-class 3M innovation applied to iconic sneaker franchises like Force, Air Max and Blazer. The shoe collection price starts from RM545 onwards.
According to premium sneaker marketplace Ox Street, 40 per cent of global growth in the athletic footwear market is expected to come from Southeast Asia. This comes as no surprise especially taking into consideration Singapore’s Sneaker Con, Jakarta Sneaker Day, Manila Sneaker Expo, SneakerFest Vietnam, Sneaker Party Thailand and Malaysia’s Sneaker Lah events that attract thousands of sneaker fans, eager to make a sale or get their hands on limited-edition boutique brands.
The collaboration offers great features in both technology and design integrating new materials and style that make it a must-have for sneakerheads. Let’s read how the collaboration was made to come alive:
‘Reflecting’ back to 2019
It’s all started on the 2019 at Milan Design Week where fashion and design enthusiasts from the world’s top brands marveled at 3M’s art installation, ‘A Pinnacle of Reflection.’ The piece earned international headlines for its kaleidoscope effect, showcasing 3M technologies in a visual medley of colors and shapes. It was so amazing that Nike took noticed on 3M’s technology.
“Once Nike experienced our installation, they knew 3M was a company that thinks differently,” said Robert Quintero, a UX creative director at 3M. “They appreciated our ability to express the 3M brand emotionally through storytelling.”
After Milan Design Week, Robert invited a few members of the Nike design team to visit 3M’s global headquarters. He and colleagues introduced the Nike team to 3M’s brand by highlighting hand-selected technologies that are used to help protect end users. This included materials that expressed warmth, durability, visibility, breathability and more.
“This was an opportunity for Nike to interact with technologies across many of 3M’s businesses,” said Robert. “They wanted to enter the candy shop through one door.”
After the visit, Nike took samples back to their headquarters in Oregon and eventually decided to feature 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material throughout the entire sneaker collection to elevate the shoes’ aesthetics. Nike also used 3M Thinsulate Insulation to add an extra layer of warmth in a portion of the sneakers.
“3M has earned the trust of brands because our materials are based on sound science,” said Ryan Gallagher, a global marketing manager for 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material. “At the end of the day, we apply our technologies to make products more impactful, and this collaboration with Nike is a great example of that.”
To view the complete collection of sneakers, please visit Nike.com.