Nike Swift Suit
Objective:
Maximize Athletes' Velocity.
Result:
The design process began in January 1998 and culminated in September 2000 at the Sydney Summer Olympics. Until the very last moment, it was unclear whether or not the Swift Suit would be put to the test - then Cathy Freeman stepped onto the track. As 111,000 people screamed from the stands, Freeman and her Swift Suit raced into legend, winning a gold medal in the 400m final. The groundbreaking idea of placing textures on body segments relative to their velocity has been the foundation for every Nike Swift garment since.
In March 2000, we were sending Cathy test suits in Melbourne. Here she is working out in a prototype and giving us essential feedback. Having studied the footage and listened to her comments we could make updates then repeat the process.