Feature: The Dance by Nike

Today we introduce to you a special project by Nike that was created around the Nike womens collection of 2007. The theme and title of this project is THE DANCE and brought together creative director Emma Reeves, photographer Ryan Mc Ginley and the artist Shoplifter.

A result is a fantastic new womens collection for next year with exciting sneakers featuring interesting design, materials and colors. Shoplifter created stunning graphics for the exhibition to present the sneakers and Ryan Mc Ginley took beautiful pictures both of the exhibition and of women training in the new sneakers that can be seen in the exhibition.

As a sports brand, Nike is constantly seeking to create solutions for athletes to help them perform more efficiently. Performance innovation at Nike is not just about making things different, but making them better. The Spring 2007 women’s footwear collection has evolved from the rich heritage of the brand. It was created using innovative techniques, and they used that mind-set to inform new designs infused with a fresh energy and an aesthetic point of view. The theme of a new collection influences not only the form of the silhouettes and the construction, but also the materials, color, and graphic treatments.

To further explore the connection between women, sport, culture, movement, and innovative design, Nike invited three creative talents to give their own unique perspectives and distinctive points of view on these topics. For this project, Nike worked together with creative director Emma Reeves, photographer Ryan McGinley, and fine artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir (aka Shoplifter) to bring forth a vision of women, sport, and innovation through art.

Reeves - who has worked as a curator for a range of global projects and exhibitions, including London’s annual photo fair, Photo London - selected the two artists specifically because of the insight they could each bring to the project. “There is a profound strength to both of them,” says Reeves. “And a definite spirit that is palpable in each of their works.”

For this installation in partnership with Nike, McGinley photographed women in a gymnasium. His images of athletic figures falling and floating capture an effervescent, abstract beauty and reveal a sense of mystery about the physical form. “Ryan understands the spirit of movement,” says Reeves. “There is a visceral quality in his work and a youthful energy that resonates with a sense of warmth and feminine strength. He just has a natural affinity for women.”

For her contributions, Shoplifter conceived wallpaper designs fashioned from her signature use of women’s hair. “Shoplifter’s work is very organic in that she incorporates a range of textural elements,” says Reeves. In this case,the intricate patterns inspire an engaging, almost hypnotic sense of rhythm and flow.

For another large-scale installation, Shoplifter focused on the raw materials used for building Metro Collection shoes. The resulting exploration of textures and forms inevitably draws the viewer in. “Shoplifter is a wonderful storyteller,” Reeves adds. “She literally weaves a message into her work.” Ultimately, Ryan and Shoplifter proved to be a natural fit. While each have communicated the message so differently, their work is also very much in harmony.

As you can see, Nike is once again setting a benchmark and is really creating something special and thoughtful for women for 2007. All sneakers in this collection are high perfomrance shoes and at the same time very well designed with great details and use of many elements of shoe design. Now see the key pieces of this collection...