Ten Years of Nike Free

One never ceases to be amazed when one looks at how many iconic pieces of footwear Nike have produced over the years. The Cortez, Air Max, Jordan, Dunk, and Mayfly are just some of the huge number of milestones marked in the legacy of Nike co-founder, Bill Bowerman (pictured). Today marks another milestone with the tenth anniversary of the Nike Free.

Nike’s design philosophy of natural motion has been the driving force behind the brand’s innovation process from the beginning. It attempts to utilise everything in the production process to further athletic performance for the wearer. Bowerman was a key proponent of this movement describing his ideal sneaker as, “a second skin to the foot.”

This approach culminated in the birth of the Nike Free 5.0 in 2004 (above). Due to its stripped-down construction and the feeling of running bare-foot, it actually proved to strengthen the wearer’s feet and ankles and increased flexibility in the toes, allowing greater balance. Aside from inspiring rival brands to create new lines of athletic shoes in pursuit of creating a Free of their own, Nike changed the way in which footwear would be designed, engineered and manufactured forever.

Like many of Nike’s other innovation projects, the Free has not only surpassed its humble running origins and transcended sports from surfing through to golf; it has become a staple piece of contemporary fashion. Such models as the Nike Free Run+2 (above) have found their way into outfits that feature items once never thought to be paired with such a shoe. Even those who thought Jerry Seinfeld was the coolest guy to rock ‘Sneans’ would have never imagined the signature look making its way to sartorial glory.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Free, Nike has released some new selections for this seasons range: the Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit, the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit (running), and the Nike Free 1.0 Cross Bionic (training), among others.