Nike 354 Prototype Revealed For 2021 SS Collection
Nike’s 2021 SS collection expands with an eco-conscious take on an early Bowerman prototype. Inspired by co-founder Bill Bowerman’s fastest mile time, the Daybreak Type embodies archival aesthetics and prototypical constructions.
With a deconstructed DIY exterior, exposed detailings and foam-wedge midsole, this innovative design takes an unconventional approach to sustainability. The Daybreak Type is available in two polar opposite colorways: black and laser orange.
Colourway
Nike’s reconception of their sportswear line has given rise to three unique sub-imprints – THE10TH, D/MS/X and N.354. The latter is tasked with delving into the brand’s extensive archives to produce next-level daily-use sneakers. Already offering up a series of prototype-inspired silhouettes like the Drop-Type, AF1-Type and Huarache-Type, the latest entrant to the N.354 lineup is a revamp of the Daybreak Type.
This ‘Lost & Found’ edition of the retro runner is built from experimental prototypes that reside within the Nike archive. Its DIY exterior reflects a desire for rugged detailing that is popular in today’s sneaker zeitgeist. Featuring a white mesh upper, the shoe is complemented by Speed Yellow detailing. The iconic Nike swoosh is also rendered in a similar hue. Additional details include a forefoot that suggests design-studio kitbashing, simulated hand stitching and Sharpie numbering. A pair of lugged gum rubber outsoles round out the retro-inspired look. The Daybreak Type N.354 ’Lost & Found’ is set to debut soon at select retailers.
Materials
The most successful brands don’t achieve global domination overnight – they need massive amounts of trial and error to perfect their products. This new silhouette, the Nike Daybreak Type, explores prototype constructions to curate an everyday sneaker with ‘no-fuss’ functionality. Incorporated with 20% recycled materials, the shoe’s enduring canvas is locked-in by marbleised TPU bracings and detailed perforations to ensure stability. Sustainably-sourced Nike Grind accents across the waffle outsole fuses dimension with demand, while deconstructed DIY exposures pay tribute to Bowerman’s early-year advancements and reference his loyal commitment to athletic cross-generational legacy.
The Beaverton brand’s archives feature a plethora of prototypes, each of which signalled an attempt to solve a pesky problem faced by athletes. The 2019 launch of the N.354 sub-label taps into this heritage catalogue to fuse past, present and future footwear designs in order to birth boundary-pushing innovations. Combining archival aesthetics with contemporary design language, the nike 354 white showcases this deconstruction approach to footwear, with a transparent foam tongue and exposed stitchings taking centre stage.
Sole
The sole of this shoe is very creative, if you look closely it looks like the shoe has layers of different materials stacked up. It also has a unique design that makes it look like it is see through.
Nike’s N 354 series is a new line of experimental footwear that explores the way a shoe is designed from inside out. Whether it is the Nike Air Force 1 or the Drop Type LX, these shoes are built in a deconstructed style that showcases asymmetry and raw exposed details.
Using recycled material and a blend of different parts, this sneaker is an ode to prototypical constructions while celebrating the trials and tribulations of the creative process. Featuring DIY exposures and asymmetrical additions, these shoes showcase the edgy side of experimental design that has been popularised by Virgil Abloh’s THE10TH collection. Featuring a double-layered foam midsole and an iconic waffle traction outsole, this shoe is built to be durable in everyday use.
Appearance
A prototype brought to life by the Nike N.354 collection that celebrates designers that take crazy ideas and turn them into great innovation. After a collaboration between Sacai and Nike, this model takes its name from a time when Nike’s track team was named N.354.
This particular release features a foam-covered upper that mimics the spongy material found on oxygen masks used in the company’s lab. Ripstop pull tabs on the tongue and heel, drawcord laces, a white midsole, and semi-translucent outsole complete the design. This version of the Daybreak Type N.354 is dressed in a Barely Volt colorway, featuring the see-through mesh base almost completely covered with the eye-catching hue, with suede reinforcements in black, smokey grey, and Baltic blue accenting the construction.