nike

Nike's New Tokyo Store: Serious Sole Power!

Alissa Walker — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:20:35 -0500

Nike's new store that opened last week in the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo has a serious foot fetish: The interiors are adorned with over 4000 shoes. And that doesn't even include the ones for sale.

Nike Designers to Tackle College Football With Pro-Combat Gear

Ben Paynter — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:08:22 -0500

Nike's new mantra should be Just Re-Do It.

In recent years they've successfully tackled everything from Olympic running shoes to swimsuits, to creating a essentially an elaborate pedometer that plays music, the Nike Plus.

Next up, it seems they've borrowed a page from design guru Ken Carbone's own style playbook.

Why Did Apple Quit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?

Ariel Schwartz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:47:54 -0400

Earlier today, Apple took a bold stance on climate change by quitting the US Chamber of Commerce. The company joins PG&E, Nike, and Exelon in stepping down from the organization, which is working to stop the Waxman-Markey climate change bill from passing.

Li Ning and Ziba Design Want to Build China’s First Truly Global Brand

Aric Chen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0400

You may think you've never heard of Li Ning. But assuming you were one of the 4 billion or so people watching the opening ceremony of last year's Beijing Olympics, you've seen him. Remember the guy who lit the Olympic flame? The one who, as if by some superhuman power, levitated more than 100 feet and ran that mesmerizing aerial lap around the Bird's Nest stadium before setting the Olympic cauldron ablaze? That was Li Ning. And if he has his way, you won't be forgetting him again.

Forget "Shrink It and Pink It": the Femme Den Unleashed

Kate Rockwood — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Boobs. The Femme Den talks about them easily and often -- and about the challenges they present to designers. Backpack makers don't seem to have a clue what to do about boobs. Ditto designers of unisex hospital scrubs, famous for their gaping V-necks. "One surgeon told me there wasn't a woman at the hospital whose boobs he hadn't seen," says Femme Den member Whitney Hopkins.

16 Inventions That Boost Habitats, Humanity, Health and Happiness

Fast Company staff — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:15:04 -0400

Designer, architect, and author Emily Pilloton is founder of the non-profit Project H Design, where chapters of designers around the world collaborate on products that improve the four H's: habitats, humanity, health and happiness. While working to develop products like the Hippo Roller, a water transportation device, or the Learning Landscape, a low-budget playground for teaching math, Pilloton began collecting examples of similar products that solved social problems.

The Anti-Sweatshop: Nike Expands Its Education Philosophy to Sri Lanka

Zachary Wilson — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:53:46 -0400

Filling its own shoes as one of the world's most innovative manufacturers once again, Nike has partnered with MAS Holdings to open the new Apparel Innovation and Training Centre in Sri Lanka. The new center, operated and staffed by Nike but located in the MAS Fabric Park in Thulhiriya, Sri Lanka, will feature a 12-week Core Lean Program with sessions on theory and lean manufacturing as well as hands-on training with manufacturing process innovations.

Nike at CGI: Helping Girls and Women Achieve their Potential and Change the World

Alice Korngold — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:47:17 -0400

I have admired Maria Eitel since I met and interviewed her at last year's CGI. Talking with her again this year reminded me why. Imagine that just a few years ago, she was asked to create a purpose and a plan for the Nike Foundation. What she presented to the Nike Board of Directors was The Girl Effect-- the idea that when you invest in girls, you change the world.

Catalytic Philanthropy: A Perfect Lead-In to the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

Alice Korngold — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:01:24 -0400

My friend and colleague, Mark Kramer, just published an excellent new article on Catalytic Philanthropy. It's an extension of his work in helping foundations and philanthropists to improve their giving strategies.

How Real Innovation Moves the Needle

Dev Patnaik — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:40:23 -0400

Up until a year ago, innovation was the toast of the business world. Companies around the world were investing heavily in design, launching new products, and even building virtual retail stores in Second Life. Then the financial crisis erupted, destroying shareholder value, corporate budgets, and family income alike. In the wake of that disaster, it's entirely legitimate to wonder: is innovation relevant anymore?

Introducing Guest Blogger Dev Patnaik: Innovation Meets Empathy

Alissa Walker — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:22:44 -0400

If you should need any evidence that Dev Patnaik, the CEO and founder of Jump Associates, is marching to the beat of a different drummer, consider what he does when he's not in the office. Since 1999, Dev has been teaching a popular course at nearby Stanford University called Needfinding. In it, students draw upon methods from anthropology, design research and business planning to discover new insights about ordinary people and create new products for them.

Does Your Company Support Consumer Experience Innovation?

Steve McCallion — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:42:40 -0400

A few years ago, we were asked by a regional coffee roaster to redefine the coffee experience for fine dining. We knew that Americans drank coffee after dinner for functional purposes (to wake/sober up), but we wanted to understand how we could create a more emotional experience. We grabbed our notepads, went into the field, drank a lot of coffee, studied coffee rituals from different cultures and ultimately crafted a compelling coffee experience that could have resurrected the after dinner coffee ritual in America. The client loved it, but never brought it to market. Why?

Big Brands, Lil' Apps

Julie Rutherford — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:20:57 -0400

Today's mission: to see how a few of my favorite big brands are using iPhone apps. As you might expect, I found a ton of great branded apps, both free and paid. My three top picks are below and share a common theme--they make life a little easier for their devoted followers.

Big Awards for the Year's Best Industrial Design

Cliff Kuang — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:13:55 -0400

Each year, the Industrial Designers Society of America sponsors one of the largest design competitions in the world, IDEA. For designers--and in particular American designers--it's a major feather in the cap (Europeans tend to focus on the Red Dot Awards).

Plans For Microsoft Retail Stores Leak Online

David Lidsky — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:07:41 -0400

Glasses that Give You Eyes in the Back of Your Head

Cliff Kuang — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:57:19 -0400

Student concepts usually fall well short of either marketability or feasibility. But Billy May, who just graduated from college last year, created a concept which clears both hurdles: A set of eyeglasses that increases the wearer's peripheral vision, thanks to technology used in lighthouses.

Introducing Guest Blogger Brett Lovelady: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Linda Tischler — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:31:00 -0400

It may shock you to hear that I know very little about video gaming. OK, that's actually an overstatement. I know nothing about video gaming. That's not to say I don't have deep admiration, nay, awe for folks who not only understand this robust industry, but who are finding new and exciting ways to make money from it.

Boomtown: The Real Money Behind Virtual Goods

Michael Fitzgerald — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Nexon's Crazyracing KartRider game sold more than 100,000 Mini Coopers in South Korea, more than BMW's sales of the actual car. It helped that the game's virtual Mini cost less than $10.

The Brand Man

Fast Company Staff — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Trevor Edwards, 46

VP, global brand and category management, Nike

His Nike+ service for the iPod Nano, now built into the iPod Touch, proved that consumers had an appetite for apps customized to their lives. Nike+ has attracted 1.2 million runners and strengthened the Swoosh's running business.

De La Soul Partners with Apple and Nike to Release First Album in Five Years

Kit Eaton — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:38:38 -0400

You may have forgotten about Apple's tiny, wireless iPod-linked in-shoe pedometer, the Nike+, but the runners who've chalked up 100 million miles haven't. And neither has Nike--it just partnered with De La Soul to release a new album.

Art Center Students Design the School Bus of the Future

Alissa Walker — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:03:26 -0400

Public transit vehicle design has grown in leaps and bounds; consider the accordion-like articulations and sleek streamline curves of one city's rapid bus. But what about the millions of kids getting shuttled to and from school in this country every day? Their lumbering yellow school bus hasn't been given a once-over since someone thought to add seatbelts back in the 1980s.

Organic Cotton: The Fabric of Our Lives?

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:17:18 -0400

Admit it: you don't pay always attention to whether the products you buy contain organic cotton or regular cotton. Neither do I, so it's a good thing that major companies are taking it upon themselves to use organic cotton--especially since regular cotton is covered in more toxic insecticides and pesticides than any other crop.

Nike Rethinks the Combat Boot

Cliff Kuang — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:21:15 -0400

After an intensive, four-year development phase, Nike has just introduced its SFB military boot. It rethinks all the standard features: Thanks to an upper made with synthetic leather and polyester, it requires no break in and dries quickly; the foam sole radically reduces the boot's weight; it's also protected from punctures with a thermoplastic forefoot shield, and a puncture-resistant layer of leather and kevlar in the sole.

Sneaker Con

Fast Company Calendar — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0500

If the sneaker fits…buy it! Thirty vendors with the season’s hottest shoes and apparel will be at Sneaker Con. The event, which kicks off Sunday, promises a selection of rare Nikes and “never before seen” Air Jordans, as well as grooves from DJs Complex and IXL. For an admission fee of $10, you can buy, sell or trade, which means you might just be walking home in someone else’s shoes. -- AB

Sun, Mar 1
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Sneaker Con
New York City

The Most Innovative Companies in Sports

Chuck Salter — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:03:22 -0500

New England Sports Ventures: Like a five-tool talent, the Boston Red Sox are a multiple threat, making money on deals in Nascar, bull riding, golf, and, oh yeah, baseball.
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