For its forthcoming book, No Finish Line, footwear and sports apparel giant Nike takes a look back at the past 50 years – and offers a glimpse of how the next 50 might look. If a five-decade roadmap sounds audacious, that’s because Nike’s Chief Design Officer, John Hoke, believes “the best way to predict the future is to create it” (he says as much in his foreword).
Indeed, No Finish Line urges the next generation of athletes to leverage design and sport to create the world they want to see. Journalist Geoff Manaugh contributed several pieces of speculative fiction for the book, while Sam Grawe, author of Nike: Better Is Temporary, penned five essays for the work.
Grawe interviewed over a dozen of Nike’s designers, engineers, scientists, researchers, and leaders to dial in on the key design shifts Nike anticipates over the next few decades. As a result, No Finish Line offers unprecedented insights into Nike’s creative process and its vision of the future. One two-page photo spread tantalizingly summarizes his findings: the future will close the gap between those who make and those who use.
In his foreword, Hoke doubles down on this philosophy. “When we say, ‘There is no finish line,’ it’s … an expression of our belief in the limitless potential of sport — and design.” Nike superfans can glimpse the future for $26 when No Finish Line drops on February 14.
For more from Nike, check out the Nike Training Club (NTC) content for Netflix.