story

"Hi, my name is Marya Chan, Senior Material Designer on Women's Lifestyle. Hi, my name is Phil Woodman, I'm a Footwear Designer in Nike Innovation. This is the Nike Air Max Scorpion. The backstory behind the name, Scorpion..."

"Is kind of a byproduct of the insights around the foot shape and how we created this Air bag with a foot pad on the forefoot for push off, but then how this tail kind of comes into the heel for support, creates this scorpion shape here."

"In regards to the Air Max Scorpion, functionality definitely drove the design. Every part, every piece was carefully considered based on consumer insights, testing data. So really wanted to create..."

"Something that would address people's needs throughout the day. With the success of the VaporMax, this is basically the future of what that platform could be. But it was a ground-up redesign with a new method of making an Air bag, which allowed us to not only shape the Air bag against the ground, but also on top against the foot."

"We had to refine this through multiple methods of in-person testing, but also through FEA computational analysis. We had to then create a system that would create stability. Took the approach of a car where you sit a top of a chassis, which then helps suspension the tires beneath,..."

"And that way we can really tune the experience of the Air. It led us to develop an upper which allows the foot to lock onto this platform. Create a maximum benefit of Air, but also by locking the foot down to the system creates stability."

"One of the first things to point out is that this upper uses max recycled content, and one of the ways we do this is through Flyknit, which is an all-in-one process that uses zero waste. Similar to the approach, in terms of the Air bag and tooling,..."

"We also wanted to explore this idea of creating a 360 sensation within the upper by using chenille yarns. These super-soft yarns allowed us to create these plush zones that run along the top of the upper,..."

"Along the collar, as well as the tongue. We also thought a lot about durability and placed suede-like overlays where you need it the most on the tip, heel, and mudguard. Every material was carefully considered."

"We really wanted to sort of rethink how materials were used on an Air Max. By looking at it, you really feel like you're going to experience that Air, but through the sensation of putting it on, when people first put it on, their faces just light up."

"They just keep on commenting it's like a whole new experience and how unique it feels, like they've never felt before. I think what's so special about Scorpion is just, really, it's such a brave expression of Air. On the outside it looks really sort of..."

"Overt, simple, and minimal, but it's also super wearable, super comfortable. There was a lot of nuance and technical comfort built in that I think people will enjoy discovering."

"This is Marya Chan, Senior Material Designer on Women's Lifestyle. And this is Phil Woodman, Footwear Designer in Nike Innovation. And this is Behind the Design of the Nike Air Max Scorpion. Thank you for watching."