What is Nike React?
by Adriano Batista
When Nike asked runners what they wanted out of their running shoes, they got very specific answers: They said they wanted better cushioning. They also said they wanted better energy return. And they needed their shoes to be lightweight, of course. Oh, and they had to last too. In a way, they wanted everything. The tricky thing is that these four qualities are incredibly difficult to deliver in one material because they’re opposites.
Nike React foam cushioning launched in June 2017 in basketball — a sport that requires players to shift direction and speed in seamless motion and to lift off at the blink of an eye. The foam met those needs by providing a sensation that is as soft and springy as it is squishy and stable — a balance not previously seen in any other Nike basketball shoe.
To get there, Nike’s in-house chemists and mechanical engineers came together to test ingredients to see which composition would yield the perfect outcome. It was a process that demonstrated Nike’s in-house manufacturing ingenuity. After more than 400 hundred combinations of chemistry and processing, and using scientific methods to dial in on materials with certain amenable attributes, they landed the unique composition of Nike React foam.
From there, they put Nike React technology through more than 2,000 hours of testing on the feet of basketball players, where it proved to be the most durable foam and to deliver greater energy return than any other Nike basketball shoe tested. Because the runners expressed that they craved similar sensations, it was a no-brainer to take Nike React technology to running shoes.
Wondering what that feels like? Well, if you were to squeeze Nike React foam, you’d get that great cushioning sensation; and then, as you let go, you’d see the foam quickly spring back to its original shape, which is where the energy return comes into play. That translates so well to a run because as it reacts swiftly to each step, bouncing back to its original state to ensure a consistent underfoot feel stride after stride, mile after mile.
Nike React technology will be available in the new Nike Epic React Flyknit on February 22 on nike.com and at select retailers. If you don’t want to wait you can get these models on February 12 at the Nike APP. You can download it HERE!
Han Kjøbenhavn Fall/Winter 2018
Outsiders
Wood Wood enters a new chapter with its FW25 Double A campaign, the first collection under creative director Brian SS Jensen and head of design Gitte Wetter.
Leandro da Silva photographed by Emil Huseynzade and styled by Vladimir Frol de Moura, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
PUMA is re-releasing its special 2003 H-Street sneakers in two Jamaica-inspired colorways, just in time for Notting Hill Carnival.
Delvinas and Antón lensed by Willy Villacorta and styled by María Hernandez, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Viegas is someone who grew up immersed in music and community, with a desire to create spaces where people feel seen and free.
Johnatan Aba and Yoni Goor captured by the lens of Italo Gaspar and styled by Marchesini Matilde & Stefani Sofia, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Stüssy keeps growing, and its newest store in Biarritz, France, is proof.
DJOOKE opens up about his journey from Portuguese small towns to Lisbon’s DJ scene, the birth of iconic LGBTQ+ party BALAGAN, and his vision for inclusive nightlife.
Nicolas Benitez at New Icon photographed by Diego Bigolin and styled by Daniel Zazueta, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Massimo Osti Studio’s latest collection, Continuative Garments, stays true to the brand’s philosophy: clothes should work effortlessly in everyday life.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Billionaire Boys Club turns its focus to Jamaican sound system culture, drawing from the raw energy of dancehall, reggae, and lovers rock.
Salomon has teamed up with JJJJound to reimagine the XT-6 in two very different ways.
The fragrance captures the fleeting bloom of the osmanthus flower, a winter surprise in Kyoto.
Borsalino’s Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, captured by Pablo di Prima and shaped by Agata Belcen’s art direction, turns hats into something more than accessories. They become extensions of the people wearing them, subtle yet full of presence.
The brand’s… »
A reimagined version of their classic Plantaris, this ultra-limited release swaps the usual for titanium, turning a familiar shape into something that feels like it’s from 2075.
With a remarkable voice that challenges the status quo, Marval Rex is redefining cultural + transgender identities through the lens of comedy, performance, and thoughtful discourse.
SAVVA at Angels Project photographed and styled by Alberto Saguar, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Rombaut’s new drop, Ground I, is the latest step in their barefoot series, a shoe that keeps getting simpler, quieter, more like a sculpture than just footwear.
Rick Owens’s first major retrospective in Paris, Temple of Love, transforms the Palais Galliera into a ritualistic sanctuary.
Alex Brendon photographed by Virginia Navarro and styled by Tomás Jaramillo, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
At Selfridges’ Summer of Sound: Music Talks, Allie X and Charles Jeffrey sat down to discuss how music and fashion shape an artist’s visual identity.
Simon Bresky and Brayden Dutremble photographed by Pasquale Vino and styled by Andrea Bassi, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Somewhere between pop spellcasting and club catharsis, the line between artist and alter ego blurs into something feral, fabulous, and dangerously seductive.
As summer winds down, MR PORTER’s Pre-Fall 2025 campaign bridges the gap between sun-soaked ease and the crisp transition ahead.
From November 14 to 16, 2025, Maastricht will once again transform into a hub for fashion, art, and performance as the FASHIONCLASH Festival kicks off its 17th edition.
The Polish brand’s High Summer Drop SS25 is built for summers that linger in memory, with pieces meant to outlast the season.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Levi’s® reworks its most iconic pieces, combining heritage with fresh updates.
Drowning in all the new music releases? We’ve got you covered. Dive into our handpicked selection of this week’s standout tracks, from rising stars to iconic artists.
The collection takes classic shapes and twists them into something entirely new, with ultra-curved silhouettes that look like they’re from the future.
At the center of it all is British rapper Lancey Foux, the latest addition to what Milli calls the “Clique.”
