When Nike innovation and design legend Tinker Hatfield gets involved, you can be sure that things get interesting. Now he tackles tennis footwear and has collaborated with tennis star Roger Federer to develop the new Nike Zoom Vapor 9 Tour.

“An innovative fit system uses “fingers” on the outside and a loop system on the inside. When the laces get cinched tight, the fingers mold to the shape of the individual foot, resulting in a customized fit that continues to adapt as the foot moves during a match. Wrapping the laces all the way to the bottom of the arch further enhances the glove-like feel and a synthetic-leather quarter panel overlay adds to the firm fit.

Lightweight mesh throughout the shoe helps keep the foot cool. And the TPU foot-frame from the mid-foot to the heel delivers stability and protection during the quick slides and directional changes of a competitive match. Rubber overlays in high-wear areas improve durability. Soft and springy Lunar cushioning and a Nike Zoom unit in the heel work together for exceptional comfort and impact protection.”

Below, Hatfield and Federer discuss the design and inspiration behind the Nike Zoom Vapor 9 Tour.

A further look at the finished product follows after the jump.

All the happenings around the recent Air Jordan 11 Retro Concord release, just showed once again how important the sneaker is to sneaker fans and Jordan fans around the globe. Originally designed by Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, first designs by him turned up in 1994, at a time when Michael Jordan was retired and the Air Jordan X was not even out. Hatfield kept on working on the design, refining it and stayed true to his vision. Even though it was not sure if Michael Jordan was going to return to basketball, Nike kept on working on the sneaker and created an icon.

Take a detailed look at Tinker Hatfield’s sketches after the jump.

Other then the Nike MAG sneaker, the brand had also worked on the McFly jacket of the ‘Back To The Future 2′ movie. Nike creative head Tinker Hatfield talks about the creation of the iconic jacket in the video above. Enjoy!

Paying homage to iconic footwear designer, Tinker Hatfield, Nike Sportswear have teamed up with the 255 Studio to create this limited edition “Tinker Against The World” t-shirt. Now available exclusively at 21 Mercer.

More photos of the tee can be seen below.

The Nike Jordan 1 Alpha comes in a special “Tinker Hatfield” edition for Spring 2010. The upper comes in off-white, the Swoosh in black and the lining in a contrasting orange. A special dedication is placed on the inner soles, reading “The First To Bring Color To The Game” and “Thank You”. Wish will be releasing the sneaker on February 15th.

More detailed images of the Nike Jordan 1 Alpha “Tinker Hatfield” follow after the jump.

Recently Tinker Hatfield was spotted in China wearing the soon to be released AirYeezy, Kanye West’s signature shoe. This Air Yeezy comes in white/grey with a baby blue strap with lots of details. Don’t expect this version to ever make it into stores, as it has been especially made by Mark Smith for Tinker Hatfield.
Tinker Hatfield wore them in China on June 21rst, where he was invited as a speaker in front of a creative community of 200 people for the "Innov8" salon. The event took place at the Nike 706 space, where Nike shows for the first time in 30 years their best 100 innovations.
Thanks to  Jou-Yie Chou for the images.
Further images after the jump.