Sneaker News “If you have a body, you are an athlete”. This encouraging battle cry, coined by brand founder Bill Bowerman, can be seen across Nike retail stores and billboards. It’s pure motivation that promotes activity, even for those who live with disabling conditions. Since 2015, Nike’s FlyEase movement has been offering footwear engineered with easy on/off capabilities, and we’ve seen it adapted on existing models from LeBron James’ Zoom Soldier line, the Pegasus running series, and more. Today, the brand unveils the first FlyEase shoe built from the ground up called the Air Zoom UNVRS – a model that was heavily inspired by the insights of Lizzie Delle Donne, older sister to WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne.
How the Zoom UNVRS works is simple: the heel folds down entirely while magnets at the heel-loop and sole keep it in place for easy insertion. Once the heel is flipped back up, the articulated midfoot strap – held down by exterior Flywire cables – can be wrapped around the back of the heel and achilles and is held down by the exposed adhesive fabric. The upper of the shoe is built with an elevated Flyknit pattern (the same seen on the AlphaDunk), while full-length Zoom acts as the chief cushioning component.
While the Nike Zoom UNVRS won’t officially release until November, Delle Donne will debut the model today at 7PM ET against the LA Sparks.
