Nike has released two futuristic, all gender sunglasses that it says are intended to be worn as a form of “psychological armour”.
The Nike Athena and Nike Zeus sunglasses are intended to be worn before and after competition.
“While we were initially focussed on designing something for competition, the insight we heard from our athletes is the need for a mental edge or advantage, before and after competing,” said John Hoke, Nike’s Chief Innovation Officer. “Their ability to get totally into the zone, to be completely focussed and undistracted, is so, so critical for these athletes.”
The styles display a new level of digital artistry while offering contrasting visions of the future of sport sunglasses.
The styles display a new level of digital artistry while offering contrasting visions of the future of sport sunglasses.
Nike Athena is a celebration of asymmetry, with mirroring that wraps from lens to temple. Screwless, ultrasonic bonds and stainless-steel temples contribute to a lightweight frame, which positions the lens further from the face.
Nike Zeus, meanwhile, has an angular, technical appearance, and is inspired by traditional acupressure points and the look of ‘speed’ – an enduring Nike fixation. The design suspends five translucent elements in an ultralightweight, handcrafted titanium frame. Mask-like and worn close to the face, Nike Zeus builds on the innovative ventilation of the Nike Windshield Elite 360, with intricate, fluted perforations increasing airflow to help eliminate heat pockets around the nose and cheekbones while directing heat away from the eyes.
The Nike Athena and Nike Zeus are available on Nike’s digital platforms.
