Nike's nine-piece Advanced Apparel Exploration is a standout capsule collection for men that was created with collections of performance data from athletes.
The making of the Advanced Apparel Exploration collection 1.0 included feeding data through a knitting machine, which resulted in the creation of garments with special details as needed based on digital body mapping. This included areas with enhanced ventilation or coverage based on readings from maps that charted everything from cling and airflow to sweat and heat.
The use of this technology also means that a variety of high-performance single-layer garments can be created. As Kurt Parker, Nike's vice president of apparel design, puts it: "Instead of having to cut and sew multiple materials, we could just program the knitting machine to do it all at one moment, using one material instead of many."
Data-Designed Activewear
Nike's Advanced Apparel Exploration Range Was Informed by Data
Trend Themes
1. Data-designed Activewear - Activewear created by using collections of performance data from athletes.
2. Digital Body Mapping - Creation of garments with special details based on readings from maps that chart everything from cling and airflow to sweat and heat.
3. Single-layer Garments - Creation of a variety of high-performance single-layer garments by using advanced knitting machine technology.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Apparel Manufacturing - Manufacturing of sports apparel using collections of performance data from athletes.
2. Knitting Machine Manufacturing - Manufacturing of advanced knitting machines that can create high-performance activewear with special details using performance data from athletes.
3. Health and Fitness - Use of advanced activewear technology to track personal health and fitness data on a single-layer garment.