If Nike’s greatest pure sport innovations are driven by the edges of athletic potential — think Eluid Kipchoge’s effort to break the two-hour marathon barrier — ISPA finds potential for lifestyle innovation from solving problems for extreme daily use. In summer heat, balancing stability and style with breathability is difficult. But by stripping down to the essentials, the ISPA Flow 2020 adapts to the unexpected.

The shoe is inspired by extreme sports athletes who take a DIY approach to maximizing their equipment. Colloquially known as “gram shavers,” these athletes constantly trim down to the bare necessities. In the Flow, all-day footwear is brought to its most lightweight and breathable through a perforated outsole that allows internal intake of airflow. Think of it as walking on a subtle breeze.

Study of common heat maps of the human foot informed where hotspots are most likely to occur. Then, working with generative design engineers, the framework for the shoe’s outsole and its open weave mono mesh was formed to bring ideas born in Nike’s past into the future.

From digging into the Department of Nike Archives to experimenting with cutting-edge technology, the creation of the ISPA Flow is ISPA process at its nerdiest, in service of creating ISPA footwear at its coolest.

Nike ISPA Flow 2020 Release Date

Look for the Nike ISPA Flow 2020 to release on August 13th at select retailers and Nike.com. The retail price tag is set at $180 USD.

UPDATE 8/6: Nike releases official photos of the Flow 2020 ISPA styles that will be available on August 13th for $180 USD.