Browsing the "Leo Chang" Tag
April 19th, 2013 by Aaron Kr.
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When Nike Basketball unveiled the initial Elite Series last spring, a lot of eyebrows were raised in response to the high pricetags, but upon examination of what you were getting for your money, it became clear that these shoes were packing some next-level performance features. We sat down with designers Leo Chang and Jason Petrie prior to the release of the first Elites to really delve into what made the shoes so “elite” and why the product justified the hefty pricepoints. As we learned, every tiny detail of the shoes are analyzed, considered and upgraded using materials and technologies that could never make it onto the in-season models because of their high cost. The Elite Series lets these designers loose to do all the things they’ve always wanted to do on a basketball shoe, and the end result is the pinnacle of what’s been achieved to date in the basketball footwear genre.
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December 7th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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It’s been a pretty big year for Kevin Durant. In addition to claiming his third consecutive scoring title, taking his first trip to the NBA Finals and winning an Olympic gold medal, KD has also taken huge strides when it comes to not only letting his personality show, but letting it shine. As a result, he has gone from shy and unassuming rising star to full blown superstar, and his marketability is at an all-time high right now. Along for the ride on KD’s dominating 2012 campaign was his fourth signature Nike shoe, the futuristic KD IV, a true gamechanger for the KD line that helped catapult it into the same rarefied air with the annual LeBron and Kobe sigs.
There’s no doubt that the humble and easy to like young star’s growing popularity had a lot to do with the shoe’s status leap, but a large share of the credit goes to Nike Basketball Design Director, Leo Chang, who has overseen the entire lifespan of the KD signature lineage, focusing on mirroring the evolution of Durant’s game with each shoe, each step of the way. There’s no doubt that Leo raised the bar with the KD IV, which turned a monumental corner for the line in the hearts and wallets of consumers, so expectations were understandably high for the fifth shoe and Leo was up for the challenge. The result was an unexpected sharp turn away from the previous models, both functionally and aesthetically – a decision that Leo told us came from KD, himself, and one that he was eager to oblige with. Continue on for our one on one interview with Leo Chang to get the full lowdown on the new KD V, and look out for the first colorway hitting Nike Basketball retailers everywhere this weekend.
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November 6th, 2012 by Brendan Dunne
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The Nike KD V is officially here, with the sneaker debuting not via some in-line colorway but rather on NIKE iD. And even though the model just hit today we’ve already got a look at a finished sample of the Nike KD V iD, one cooked up by the man behind the sneaker, Nike designer Leo Chang. The design sports a mixture of hot teal and atomic punch, also flexing the speckling and glow in the dark options. Click through to check out Leo Chang’s Nike KD V iD and let us know the comments if you’re already cooking up a pair of your own.
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October 23rd, 2012 by Brendan Dunne
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Ensuring that the subtleties of the Nike KD V design aren’t lost on the sneaker community, Nike has accompanied this morning’s official unveiling of Kevin Durant’s fifth signature shoe with a video walk through by Swoosh footwear designer Leo Chang. Key in the creation of the sneaker was the close fit, a common thread through all of the Nike KD line, Max Air cushioning in the heel, an upgraded Zoom Air bag, and more. Click through with us to get some insights from Chang on the Nike KD Zoom V and stick with us for the pending release of the sneaker.
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August 11th, 2012 by John K.
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Nike Basketball’s sensational trio of signature athletes has to get some recognition as part of its 20 Year Retrospective, right? Kevin Durant’s meteoric rise to superstardom is all substance and no filler – an organic humility that designer Leo Chang transferred over to the Nike Zoom KD IV; Chang describes the design of of the KD IV as a “shoe that’s stripped down to his essence – nothing less, nothing more”, so as he heard Durant’s demands of a shoe that’s “light and tight”, Adaptive Fit was created to the lower-cut build, allowing KD to adjust the tightness to his own liking and essentially making the KD IV an all-positions, all-skill shoe. The details in the shoe are worth noting as well, as the many ‘easter eggs’ carved into the design pay tribute to some special figures in KD’s life. More of the KD IV below, so stay tuned for the next and final installment of Nike Basketball: 1992-2012!
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August 10th, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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Thursday’s look back at 2008′s Zoom Kobe IV was a reminder of how conventional wisdom can shift right under your feet, and today we get a look at a design and really, an entire fabrication process, that was inspired by the unlikeliest of combinations. Shane Kohatsu of Nike’s famed Innovation Kitchen noticed that Chinese ballers wore everything from mesh runners to rugged workboots on the nation’s rapidly multiplying outdoor asphalt arenas, then went to work on creating a balance of their collective advantages. The three-layered technical marvel that is Hyperfuse is born, and in 2010, the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse became the first model to show off its incredible blend of lightweight breathability and strength. Lead designer Leo Chang noted that the new seamless approach means “You have to draw everything, from the inside out,” so have a look at various sketches and design notes after the jump and let us know where the OG Hyperfuse ranks in the annals of Nike Basketball’s all-time greats.
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May 1st, 2012 by Aaron Hope
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Nike Basketball just took performance basketball sneakers to the next level when the Elite Series hit store shelves on Saturday, its already elevated price tags pushing even higher on the resale market. That means that the LeBron 9 P.S. Elite that came to market with a $250MSRP is now well over three bills on the ‘Bay, a figure that’s over three times as much as the cost of your average Kevin Durant signature. And though there’s no denying KD’s superstar status, hurdles like this have kept a possible Nike Zoom KD IV Elite at bay to this point. Beyond the pricing concerns with upgraded materials, Durant’s unique foot shape in conjunction with a lighter and thinner upper has resulted in a few samples being sent back as designer Leo Chang looks for the perfect combination of postseason tech for the three-time reigning NBA scoring champion. Click through to get a closer look at what could have been with the Zoom KD 4 Elite and stick with Sneaker News to see if KD will ever have an Elite edition of his sig make it to retail in the future. Photos: SoleCollector
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April 26th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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Inside the Nike Basketball design studios, performance is everything. Every move and decision is made with maximum performance in mind, including the actual visual look of the shoes created within. The pursuit of ultimate functionality determines not only how a shoe performs and feels on your foot, but in many cases, it also dictates a lot of the aesthetic choices as well. Once the shoe has been fully developed and engineered to it’s full potential, it’s time for the color, graphics and materials team to further bring the products to life with a variety of color splashes and palettes to help to tell certain stories and give some additional identity to each colorway.
Yesterday, in part 1 of our Nike Basketball Elite Series interview with Nike Bball designers Jason Petrie and Leo Chang, we got the full lowdown on the technical updates made to each of the three models to upgrade from their original forms into this super premium postseason-inspired collection. Now we take a deeper look at why the Elite Series looks the way it does, from its shapes, lines and materials to the various color schemes and the stories behind them. Continue reading for all you wanted to know about the Nike Basketball Elite Series aesthetics and colorways, and be on the look out for the home and away versions of all three models hitting retailers this Saturday, April 28th.
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