The 2024 Summer Olympics are just a couple months away, and Nike is already getting primed for the international event with a first-of-its-kind sneaker set to debut soon.
For the first official competition of breakdancing (breaking for short) at the Summer Olympics, the Portland, Ore.-based sportswear company has readied an all-new performance shoe for dancers to wear. The sneaker is called the Nike Jam, and was first unveiled last month at the brand’s “Nike on Air” Olympic preview event.
The Jam was created similarly to how Nike designs and fine-tunes performance footwear for traditional sports like running and basketball. According to a recent story by Fast Company, research for the Jam began seven years ago, as Nike took its time to understand the nuances of the subculture. The actual design process started a few years after the brand had compiled its data, summoning pro dancers to the brand’s cutting-edge Nike Sports Research Lab in 2020. There, dancers such as top-ranked B-girl Sunny Choi helped Nike find its footing in the world of breaking.
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Rather than go flashy or high-tech, Jam designers landed on a decidedly retro-inspired look, although there’s still plenty going on under the hood. There’s a drop-in foam midsole for comfort, a curved outsole to help with quick transitions, raised patterns to help breakers know where to grab the shoe, and a mix of rubbers that help it glide across the floor easier. Aesthetically, an upside-down Swoosh logo on the midsole ensures that the branding will be front and center no matter which moves are being hit.
Readers can preview two Nike Jam colorways below in “Dark Driftwood/Black-Hemp-Sail” and “Black/Metallic Silver-Gum Light Brown-Gum Medium Brown.” Retail pricing has not yet been announced, but the sneakers are expected to arrive at stores this summer.
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 begin Friday, July 26 and run through August 11.
