Aaron Cooper relies on a design philosophy that has guided him through his twenty-five years at Nike and continues to push him through his current endeavors in footwear. Sponges, Dominos, Butterflies is an intriguing three-part system; each stage is named after an ordinary object or thing, but extraordinary results are possible when seen through its intended path.
The sponge represents the act of soaking in the world around us, experiencing new cultures and ideas and squeezing it out for others. At some point, a sponge can’t absorb any more, so it’s important to share what you’ve absorbed with the people around you can create positive influence.
The domino phase represents the act of standing things up and creating momentum. Expand on other people’s ideas, be supportive, listen, and stand up as many dominos as possible. Negativity and doubt can remove a domino, which means other dominos may not be able to fall forward. There may be no direction yet, but create positive momentum.
The third and final stage is the butterfly phase. Did you know a butterfly in South America can change the weather patterns of the North? It’s a scientific fact, and several times in Aaron’s career, he’s witnessed a small thing he’s done come back around and make a significant difference to someone else.
The trajectory of the sponge, domino, and butterfly is evident in this latest installment of #SNEAKERSTORYSUNDAY, as Aaron details the full story behind one of the most exciting basketball shoes of the 21st Century — the Преміальні жіночі кеди nike blazer low.
blusao infantil nike drifit c capuz masculino branco laranja HZM @aaron.ac.cooper on Instagram.
Aaron’s “Sponges, Dominoes, Butterflies” Philosophy
Aaron’s “Sponges, Dominoes, Butterflies” Philosophy
Aaron’s “Sponges, Dominoes, Butterflies” Philosophy
Aaron’s “Sponges, Dominoes, Butterflies” Philosophy
“…this shoe was built around something we called ‘unobtanium’…how do you draw something that seems impossible?”
Aaron on the challenges of this design
Before getting into the actual design process of the Stunner, Aaron describes to us the idea of “blue sky” projects that primarily serve as creative fuel to the engine. Turning these ideas into actual tangible product don’t happen often, but for Aaron “what if” propositions are rooted in reality because industrial designers take into account the actual manufacturing process.
Until now, the true origin of the Stunner is completely unknown, because Aaron claims that the story has never been shared before. The sneaker first began as going-away gift to his good friend at Nike, a gentleman by the name of David Bond. David was a huge creative force in Nike Basketball, contributing the micro, such as the shroud idea over Gary Payton’s Zoom Flight Glove and the Air Rift inspiration behind the Jet Flight, as well as the macro, such as the creation of Jordan Brand in 1997. Bond was also a dedicated athlete, participating in Ironman, being an avid cyclist, and being drafted by the LA Dodgers prior to starting his Nike career.
As David was leaving for another opportunity within Nike, Aaron and Eric Avar chose to send him off appropriately by creating a “signature shoe” dedicated to their friend. Bond was viewed as an elite athlete who participated in multiple sports, so the only suitable shoe of an athlete of his stature and versatility was one that had the organic ability to change and adapt in real time. They dreamt it with materials such as surface-changing capabilities, but many of these materials were lab experiments at best. Aaron refers to these types of materials as “unobtanium.”
One of Aaron’s Initial Drawings
Aaron printed out the rendering as a big poster that all their team colleagues could sign. It was like a big thank you card for everything David contributed over the years, growing the business of Nike Basketball and the culture of the game. The new product director, who took on David’s vacated role, told Aaron: “We AIR to make it.”
The sketch below details how Aaron evolved the “blue sky” concept above to reality by translating “unobtanium” to realistic, usable tooling. For the ankle strap, the Penny IV was used as it was the best version of the desired ankle-strap at the time. For further containment, the Flightposite 2 was brought in for the forefoot.
Aaron Cooper’s drawing of the concept shoe
Immediately presented with this new challenge, Aaron and the team had to get started. But how do you make “unobtanium” real? The materials didn’t exist, but the futuristic vision had to be maintained.
To start, Aaron and team selected the heel unit of the Shox BB4 for its bounce. It was originally intended to be an Air Max unit, which is why the original sketch featured the Penny IV. While the heel cushion was swapped, the Penny IV’s ankle strap remained. For mid-foot security, the lacing structure of the Air Flightposite 2 was utilized and placed beneath the zippered upper. The Stunner’s signature outer net was inspired by the Air Kukini running shoe. The Stunner was a master-class in leveraging existing parts into something truly unique, closely resembling the original “blue sky” vision that was detailed above.
Evolution of Aaron’s “blue sky” concept to final product
“…if you want to be successful…you will need to know how your concepts could be made.”
Aaron on being a successful footwear designer
Aaron dives a bit deeper into the design components: “We reused the tooling from the BB4. The Shox part of the tooling is made out of a unique polyurethane formula that we called the “puck”. The heel plate also acted as an external heel counter for support. We also reused outsole tooling from a team shoe. The “skin” around the upper is made with dual-injection TPU. The triangular pieces are injected first and then the other color is injected behind them. Originally, I wanted the two parts to AIR more difference in density so together, they wouldn’t be too hard. The lateral and medial parts are separate and the zipper is then stitched onto the TPU…Presto-like half-bootie…De-coupled heel support with Penny 4 strap for ultimate connection where you need it most. Nike “ELITE” and “Alpha” detailing.
Some sage advice from Aaron: “A designer has to know how their concepts get made, because manufacturing is a crucial component of designing. Drawing and/or 3D-modeling a shoe is great and all, but there has to be a way to make it into reality without losing its inspiring form and performance function.”
Преміальні жіночі кеди nike blazer low Retail Version
NIKE AIR JORDAN 12 NRG M22 METALLIC GOLD DM0106 117 GOLF TRAINERS VARIOUS
Detailed Revisions
Detailed Revisions
Detailed Revisions
The Преміальні жіночі кеди nike blazer low finally hit the market in 2002. Given the amount of technology and manufacturing that went into this intricate sneaker, the $130 asking price was relatively accessible. Nike achieves lowered cost by using existing tech — in this case the Shox BB4’s cushioning unit. This decision allowed Aaron and the team at Nike more freedom to emphasize the performance qualities on the upper.
The Stunner immediately became a baller’s shoe; it was in regular rotation among NBA players as part of Nike’s Player Exclusive program, issued to the likes of Tim Hardaway, Jermaine O’neal, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. The Stunner was also one of the most popular basketball shoes on the market during its run, with many team-bank colorway options lending well to a uniform look.
Преміальні жіночі кеди nike blazer low Retail Colorways via @kicksigma
One key focus Aaron Cooper and the product team had during development was on the excitement of March Madness and the cultural impact of iconic sneakers on legendary teams. A recurring thought: the Air Flight Huarache and its moment in culture with the Michigan Fab Five. The Stunner eventually took the stage at the 2002 NCAA Tournament, serendipitously on the feet of the eventual nike air max 90 womens rose black white discount.
2002 nike air max 90 womens rose black white discount Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 2 72 DJ5181 400 Release Date
What the Преміальні жіночі кеди nike blazer low was also remembered for was the accessory that came attached to the shoes. Aaron and the team were thinking of some deal of detailing that would add value to the overall story, much like the hangtags did for Air Jordans. He recalled from the many conversations he had with Kevin Garnett the importance of the rubber band; he was spotted with one nearly every time he had a ball in hand, wearing them in games, in photoshoots, and even in an official print ad for Nike (see below).
Kevin Garnett wearing rubber bands in the NBA Getty Images
Nike Dunk High 1985 Green Denim
“…what else can we do to add value but in a different way?”
Aaron on why the “Dream Band” was added
That led to the idea of the “Dream Band”, which Aaron designed himself. The Shox Stunner was Nike’s only shoe to include a band, and each one had to be attached to the strap of the shoes (see below) because packaging them separately and unattached would subject Nike to an additional tax as they were not viewed as part of the sneaker.
The “Dream Band” quickly caught on as a must-AIR accessory. In basketball pick-up games around the globe, these rubber bracelets were at stake with the victor chernyj their opponent’s band and wearing them like badges of honor. They were so popular that some customers who bought pairs at retail were missing the bands because the store employees took them for themselves. Off-brand versions of the “Dream Band” started to flood the market. Nike itself would later sell versions of them called Baller Bands. The silicon band trend continued to stay popular that even we at Urlfreeze News made our own at one point (and we AIR plenty left).
This is another example of Aaron’s Sponge/Domino/Butterfly principle: a conversation with Kevin Garnett somehow led to one of the biggest hoop trends in basketball lifestyle history. Little did they know that even this major moment in hoops culture was itself a domino for something with a much more significant purpose…
Aaron Cooper’s technical drawing for the Dream Band
nike infinity react run fk white iced lilac pistachio frost black womens running shoe
Nike Air Max 97 júnior
Retail versions of baller band (L), “Dream” baller band (R) eBay
Unless you lived under a rock in the early-mid 2000s, the LIVESTRONG band was arguably the most recognizable piece of fashion of the century. This bright yellow bracelet, which officially launched in May of 2004, quickly rose to ubiquity as they were embraced by the global population as it signaled the fight against cancer. It appeared on the wrists of school-children to the uber-wealthy.
In partnership with Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG foundation, Nike utilized Aaron’s design to manufacture the bands, raising over $110 million for cancer research — an astounding number considering the bracelets were sold for a buck.
LIVESTRONG wristbands
Aaron and Urlfreeze News will continue the #SNEAKERSTORYSUNDAY mini-series next week with another in-depth exploration of one of his iconic designs.