Introducing Nike Air Presto: Performance Art
The technological and design features of the Nike Air Presto are pure magic–after all, how many running shoes can claim they're performance-driven enough to be worn by elite runners and also be displayed in art galleries? Conceived by footwear developer Tobie Hatfield (brother of shoe designer extraordinaire Tinker Hatfield), the Nike Air Presto was four years in the making. It became one of the most forward-thinking performance-running-shoes-turned-lifestyle-running-shoes Nike has ever launched.
Variations of the work-in-progress model were released while Hatfield and his team finessed the design, including the Nike Air Gauntlet in 1998 and the Nike Air Zoom Drive in 1999. At last, the final design was ready, and Nike launched the Air Presto to coincide with the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. A special edition version was created exclusively for Australian athletes in the Australia colourway. Even today, the Presto silhouette remains a favourite among collectors for its innovative design and unique colour offerings.
Nike Air Presto Design: a "T-Shirt for the Foot"
Creating the most comfortable fit without sizing constraints proved challenging for Hatfield and his team while engineering the Nike Air Presto. The key was in the shoe's collar. Hatfield noticed most running shoes would collapse a bit to accommodate the foot. His idea was to remove part of the collar, creating what he called a "V-Notch." This notched area in the ankle area acted as a sort of hinge, allowing it to stretch for a better fit. That enabled Hatfield to produce what he referred to as "T-shirt sizing." T-shirts don't come in half sizes, so maybe running shoes didn't have to either.
The original design launched mimicked apparel sizing XXS to XL, made possible due to the V-Notch design that worked well with the shoe's Neoprene-like "spacer mesh" upper, a flexible material found primarily in the medical industry. The addition of an external, customisable heel clip to the midfoot cage and a toe bumper provided the support and stability runners need. The Presto also had a host of other performance and design features including:
- Moulded midfoot overlays
- Lightweight Phylon midsole
- Encapsulated Air-Sole unit
- Expanding arch, reinforced heel
- Duralon outsole with flex grooves for traction
Nike Air Presto Colourways: Too Many to Count
When the Nike Air Presto initially launched in early 2000, the aim was to make a marketing splash coinciding with the Olympic Games. People took particular notice to the irreverent names given to the 13 colourways–like Shady Milkman, Rogue Kielbasa, Abdominal Snowman, Rabid Panda, Catfight Shiner and Trouble at Home. Each colourway featured playful character illustrations that appeared in print and TV ads.
Nike switched focus to its Nike Free franchise, but the Air Presto made a series of comebacks with countless colourways. Collaborations with the likes of Virgil Abloh's Off-White label and technology designer ACRONYM have grabbed the attention of running shoe enthusiasts. If you can find them, there are also highly sought-after Special Editions, such as:
- Sex and the City–black-and-white design with red branding on the heel
- Hello Kitty 30th anniversary three-pack
- USA for the 2000 Olympics
- Hawaii tropical motif limited to only 48 pairs
The Nike Air Presto has come in almost every imaginable colour or pattern over the past two decades.
Cultural Impact of the Air Presto
The Nike Air Presto charged out of the blocks, fuelled by a combination of clever marketing and the publicity it received surrounding the 2000 Olympics. The first television commercial spot for the Air Presto featured a French parkour runner being chased by a chicken. The marketing theme turned heads, and the shoe found a solid fan following. That success may have dipped a bit in the early 2000s, but it's come back strong–particularly in recent years due to high-profile collaborations with Virgil Abloh's Off-White and ACRONYM, and a mix of unique culture-driven collabs. The Air Presto, notable for its use of digital prints on the upper, continues to make magic and wow the most avid running shoe enthusiasts.
Collectability and Value of the Nike Presto Shoes
With an ever-growing line-up of designs and colours, resale prices on the Air Presto can run anywhere. Original releases can be tricky to find, but collectors often settle for a rerelease of these designs. You want to own a bit of collaboration, you can get a Nike x Undercover React Presto –but expect to dole out a lot more for rarer collabs and exclusives like:
Volt and Olive
From the 2016 collab with ACRONYM
Off-White White and Off-White Black
From Virgil Abloh's Off-White 2018 collab
Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty 30th anniversary Special Edition, which is nearly impossible to come by, is priceless
