Nike: Form Follows Motion — The first major exhibition on the design history of the world's largest sports brand
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Since September 21, 2024 and until May 18, 2025, the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein has dedicated a comprehensive exhibition to the world's largest sports brand Nike entitled “Nike: Form Follows Motion.”
This extraordinary exhibition highlights the impressive development of the company — from a local start-up in the 1960s to a global phenomenon whose influence extends far beyond the world of sport.
Curated by Glenn Adamson, an internationally renowned design historian, the exhibition shows how Nike has shaped the world of sports and popular culture through innovative designs, material research and creative collaboration with athletes and artists.
The show builds on last summer full of major sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and the European Football Championships in Germany.
Nike was founded in 1972 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman and was named after the Greek goddess of victory. With groundbreaking designs and a strong brand, the company grew into the world's largest clothing company with annual sales of over 50 billion US dollars.
Design played a key role in this: products such as the Waffle Trainer, Air Force 1 or the Air sole became icons that were recognized far beyond sport. For the first time, the exhibition features a curated selection of exhibits from the company's own Department of Nike Archives (DNA), which comprises more than 200,000 objects.
From prototypes to original drawings to historical films, the exhibition provides a fascinating insight into the company's design history and innovative culture. The exhibition is divided into four subject areas:
Key moments can be seen, such as the development of the first waffle sole by Bowerman in his kitchen and the collaboration with the “Tigerbelles,” a team of black female athletes who were among Nike's first cooperation partners.
Early close collaboration with athletes shaped Nike's design philosophy right from the start.
The technology was made visible in 1987 with the Air Max and became a trademark.
Collaborations with sports icons such as Michael Jordan and Serena Williams as well as the brand's influence on pop culture through iconic commercials are at the heart of this area.
The Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) produced groundbreaking innovations such as the Nike Free Series and the Vaporfly, while sustainable materials such as Flyknit and recycling projects such as Nike Grind paved the way for greener production.
‍Relation: ‍‍ The fourth section explores the cultural significance of Nike in youth culture and the collaboration with creatives such as Virgil Abloh, Hella Jongerius, Marc Newson, and Comme des Garçons.
Topics such as diversity, inclusion and the role of sneaker culture in social media are also discussed.
Curator Glenn Adamson highlights that Nike has not only shaped the design world, but also social discourses around body ideals, gender roles, and community.
The exhibition explores how Nike has moved from a focus on performance to a wider mission that includes topics such as self-expression, participation, and sustainability.
The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive program of workshops and events that deepen the connection between sport and design. A richly illustrated catalog, which contains essays and around 300 illustrations, documents the exhibition and Nike's innovations.
Edited by Mateo Kries and Glenn Adamson, the catalog is published with a recycled seaweed cover and offers in-depth insights into the company's design studios and production processes.
The exhibition “Nike: Form Follows Motion” runs until May 18, 2025 at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein.
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