#SNEAKERSTORYSUNDAYTHE NIKE SHOX STUNNERWITH AARON COOPER

Aaron Cooper relies on a design philosophy that has guided him through his twenty-five years at Nike and continues to push him through his current endeavors in footwear. Sponges, Dominos, Butterflies is an intriguing three-part system; each stage is named after an ordinary object or thing, but extraordinary results are possible when seen through its intended path.
 
The sponge represents the act of soaking in the world around us, experiencing new cultures and ideas and squeezing it out for others. At some point, a sponge can’t absorb any more, so it’s important to share what you’ve absorbed with the people around you can create positive influence.
 
The domino phase represents the act of standing things up and creating momentum. Expand on other people’s ideas, be supportive, listen, and stand up as many dominos as possible. Negativity and doubt can remove a domino, which means other dominos may not be able to fall forward. There may be no direction yet, but create positive momentum.
 
The third and final stage is the butterfly phase. Did you know a butterfly in South America can change the weather patterns of the North? It’s a scientific fact, and several times in Aaron’s career, he’s witnessed a small thing he’s done come back around and make a significant difference to someone else.
 
The trajectory of the sponge, domino, and butterfly is evident in this latest installment of #SNEAKERSTORYSUNDAY, as Aaron details the full story behind one of the most exciting basketball shoes of the 21st Century — the Nike Shox Stunner.
 
Before you move on to the full feature below, be sure to follow @aaron.ac.cooper on Instagram.

Aaron printed out the rendering as a big poster that all their team colleagues could sign. It was like a big thank you card for everything David contributed over the years, growing the business of Nike Basketball and the culture of the game. The new product director, who took on David’s vacated role, told Aaron: “We have to make it.”
 
The sketch below details how Aaron evolved the “blue sky” concept above to reality by translating “unobtanium” to realistic, usable tooling. For the ankle strap, the Penny IV was used as it was the best version of the desired ankle-strap at the time. For further containment, the Flightposite 2 was brought in for the forefoot.
 

Immediately presented with this new challenge, Aaron and the team had to get started. But how do you make “unobtanium” real? The materials didn’t exist, but the futuristic vision had to be maintained.
 
To start, Aaron and team selected the heel unit of the Shox BB4 for its bounce. It was originally intended to be an Air Max unit, which is why the original sketch featured the Penny IV. While the heel cushion was swapped, the Penny IV’s ankle strap remained. For mid-foot security, the lacing structure of the Air Flightposite 2 was utilized and placed beneath the zippered upper. The Stunner’s signature outer net was inspired by the Air Kukini running shoe. The Stunner was a master-class in leveraging existing parts into something truly unique, closely resembling the original “blue sky” vision that was detailed above.
 

The Nike Shox Stunner finally hit the market in 2002. Given the amount of technology and manufacturing that went into this intricate sneaker, the $130 asking price was relatively accessible. Nike achieves lowered cost by using existing tech — in this case the Shox BB4’s cushioning unit. This decision allowed Aaron and the team at Nike more freedom to emphasize the performance qualities on the upper.
 
The Stunner immediately became a baller’s shoe; it was in regular rotation among NBA players as part of Nike’s Player Exclusive program, issued to the likes of Tim Hardaway, Jermaine O’neal, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. The Stunner was also one of the most popular basketball shoes on the market during its run, with many team-bank colorway options lending well to a uniform look.

One key focus Aaron Cooper and the product team had during development was on the excitement of March Madness and the cultural impact of iconic sneakers on legendary teams. A recurring thought: the Air Flight Huarache and its moment in culture with the Michigan Fab Five. The Stunner eventually took the stage at the 2002 NCAA Tournament, serendipitously on the feet of the eventual National Champion Maryland Terrapins.

What the Nike Shox Stunner was also remembered for was the accessory that came attached to the shoes. Aaron and the team were thinking of some sort of detailing that would add value to the overall story, much like the hangtags did for Air Jordans. He recalled from the many conversations he had with Kevin Garnett the importance of the rubber band; he was spotted with one nearly every time he had a ball in hand, wearing them in games, in photoshoots, and even in an official print ad for Nike (see below).
 

Unless you lived under a rock in the early-mid 2000s, the LIVESTRONG band was arguably the most recognizable piece of fashion of the century. This bright yellow bracelet, which officially launched in May of 2004, quickly rose to ubiquity as they were embraced by the global population as it signaled the fight against cancer. It appeared on the wrists of school-children to the uber-wealthy.
 
In partnership with Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG foundation, Nike utilized Aaron’s design to manufacture the bands, raising over $110 million for cancer research — an astounding number considering the bracelets were sold for a buck.

Aaron and Sneaker News will continue the #SNEAKERSTORYSUNDAY mini-series next week with another in-depth exploration of one of his iconic designs.