Evolution Of The Nike's LeBron James Signature Sneakers
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The Evolution of the LeBron James Signature Sneaker
An in-depth examination of LeBron James' line of Nike signature sneakers.
The LeBron line is the flagship shoe for Nike Basketball. For the past eleven years it has balanced and integrated every flagship
Nike technology a shoe could have. Take the journey to learn every key
design element from the Air Zoom Generation all the way to the newly
released LeBron 12.
Air ZOOM GENERATION, 2003
Photograph by Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports
The King has arrived.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Everyone knew LeBron James was special, but no one knew how quickly
he would change the game. Most players not named Michael Jordan had to
earn their signature product. But the folks in Beaverton laced ‘Bron
with his own shoe from day one. The Zoom Generation was a good
introduction to the line. It wasn’t a revolutionary shoe but it combined
existing technologies in a flawless way.
It was inspired by utilitarian objects, such as the Hummer H2, to
capture the mass and size of LeBron. The design featured an external
heel counter in chrome that locked the star's massive foot in place
during transitions. While the shoe was built like a tank it featured a
large ventilation window on the medial midfoot to lighten the load. One
of the most unique material uses on the shoe was the molded mesh that
featured predominantly through the heel and midfoot. That material use
gave a ballistic feel and indestructible presence to the first
signature Zoom Air provided the cushioning, while a composite plate
helped keep things stable.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Chamber of Fear.
The LeBron II completely changed the direction of LeBron's signature
line. The Zoom Generation set the tone for LeBron, but it wasn’t headed
in any particular direction. It could have been any signature player’s
shoe or even a well-executed inline shoe, similar to a Hyperdunk. What
the shoe lacked was a solid presence, it was great but it didn’t pack
the punch. The LeBron II packed a very strong punch. There was no
denying when you saw it that it was a special shoe.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The shoe featured an all-over ballistic mesh with leather overlays in
very specific areas. It was damn near indestructible, which was a theme
that started on the Zoom Generation. One new piece that was brought to
the II was the strap. It’s debatable as to how functional it was, but it
definitely packed a solid aesthetic option for one’s style and gave a
football feel to the signature model of a guy built more like a tight
end. Where the shoe really thrived though was the sole unit; it featured
double-stacked Zoom. DOUBLE STACKED. Easily one of the plushest rides
Nike has ever created. What also made the sole unit stand out were the
details of the tread pattern. LeBron is too big for herringbone so he
got his own pattern! The traction was made up of interlocking Ls and Js to leave his own print on the hardwood.
Zoom LEBRON iii, 2005
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Evolution At Its Best.
Excuse
the pun, but the LeBron III was a layup. The II brought serious heat,
like 1,000-degree heat and the III brought something lukewarm. It was a
solid shoe but just didn’t shift the line like it could have.
LeBron III
The III had very unique blocking straight from the start with the home colorway. The way the black split the white was ill—very fresh and very far ahead of its time in that respect. The area where you really see that come to life is the toebox. The toe really helped transition and balance the bold color blocking by splitting the forefoot from the rest of the shoe. It helped carry the white up and through the shoe. It was quite beautiful. It also featured hotograph by Liz Barclaya nice micro-perforation pattern that
gave a subtle touch to a luxury-made product.
The
shoe really focused on holding down the beast that LeBron is. It
started by incorporating a TPU chassis that featured molded-in leather
pieces. The chassis ran two-thirds the length of the shoe and
incorporated webbing that extended from the TPU and up into the lacing
system. The whole setup also wrapped below the foot giving him 360º of
support. It was an impressive approach to lock down the foot.
zoom LEBRON iv, 2006
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Revolutionary.
The IV changed the game for the LeBron line by ushering in a
technology that had been left on the shelf for a few years—Foamposite.
Foamposite was developed in the late ‘90s to create a shoe that was
completely molded and formfitting. The goal was to create a process that
would allow Nike to make shoes even if the price of labor became too
high. What they didn’t realize was that they had created one of the best
fitting and supportive technologies ever, especially for freakishly
large and agile athletes like LeBron.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The Foamposite was created in a chassis form as well; it wrapped the
entire foot with flexible fingers on the upper that closed in around the
tongue. The real difference between the III and the IV though was how
much better the IV executed the concept. It was much more dramatic in
its look and it simply functioned better. The key thing the IV did was
incorporating the learning Nike had gained from the development of the
Free line. Foamposite can be challenging to make flexible, it takes some
time to really break them in. But by siping the structure it really
freed it up to make it move with the foot.
One other detail that can’t be overlooked is the introduction of the “Witness”
campaign. On the heel of the IV “Witness” is written vertically down
the heel wrapping the sole. It creates a nice hidden detail that nods at
the special moment in basketball history.
zoom LEBRON v, 2007
Photograph by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Locked In.
The V came at a time of expansion for the LeBron line. Nike was now
offering not only the signature shoe, but also lows, team shoes all the
way to lifestyle product. LeBron was on his way to becoming a brand unto
himself, leaving no area of the market untapped.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The V seemed to represent a blend of all
of them. It was brutally honest in its aesthetic direction. The shoe was
split visually in the middle with its aggressive wrapping toe and
complementary wrapping heel. It was the first LeBron to be
double-lasted, which means the midsole is entirely internal with the
upper wrapping over it and the rubber from the sole locking the whole
thing together. The upper also featured a removable strap that locked in
the midfoot. It harkened back to the II and also tied in what made the
first LeBron Soldier successful.
zoom LEBRON VI, 2008
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The end of an era.
The LeBron VI was a transition period for Nike Basketball. It was the
end of the Ken Link era. Link had crafted the LeBron II-V and played a
large role in creating the Zoom Generation as well. The VI would be his
last design for the LeBron line as he was moving on to other areas
within the Swoosh.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The VI wasn’t created without some controversy, as the original design
was scrapped at the last minute for unconfirmed reasons. The VI that
released would be a far cleaner and more lifestyle-friendly approach to
the line. Almost like a modern Air Force 1, the upper featured a clean
toe that extended around the forefoot. One area the shoe really focused
on was crafted quality. It had a triple-stitched midsole and wrapped
leather edges with subtle molded details. One key area of technology was
the heel counter as it featured a molded piece of carbon fiber that
wrapped the entire heel. It was a lightweight approach to functionality.
Well, relatively lightweight anyway.
air max LEBRON vii, 2009
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Maxed out on Air.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The VII took the largest turn in the LeBron line since the
introduction of Foamposite on the IV. The LeBron line had traditionally
ridden on Zoom Air, but Nike was in the midst of re-establishing its
iconic Air Max platform and they chose to use it on the King’s signature
line. It was a logical partnering as LeBron’s mass always needed a
platform that had a presence but was still quick.
The VII would also be the first time the LeBron line featured Nike’s
newest technology at that time, Flywire. Flywire changed the game in
footwear because it revolutionized the construction of the upper making
it lighter but stronger. It removed layers and brought the support
closer to your foot by welding thin layers of thread between two layers
of synthetic material. This made the addition of Max Air to the line
compatible because it offset the weight of the sole unit. The clean
design was the brainchild of Jason Petrie, who took over from Link as
LeBron's Nike lead.
LEBRON 8, 2010
Photograph by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to South Beach.
LeBron went to Miami and uprooted the entire basketball world, and in
doing so led to the introduction of one of the most iconic colorways of
the modern sneaker era.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
For the most part the LeBron 8 was just an evolution of the VII. It
featured Flywire but in a more focused way, an all-mesh tongue, minimal
layers and a Max Air platform. But what this shoe did that
revolutionized the entire industry was usher in the wave of colorways
and themed shoes that has taken the industry by storm ever since. The
“South Beach” colorway has been—outside of, perhaps, the “Red October”
colorway—the most popular since its introduction in 2008, and is
arguably the most sought-after shoe in the entire LeBron line.
Another important moment the LeBron 8 ushered in was the idea of
evolving a signature shoe to provide three different offerings for the
long NBA season (and postseason). V2 and V3 versions offered more
streamlined, lighter renditions. This really laid the groundwork for
what would become the current Elite editions.
LEBRON 9, 2011
Photograph by Liz Barclay
Champion.
The LeBron 9 really laid the groundwork for what the line is
currently. The LeBron is the flagship Nike Basketball product and
features almost every technology Nike offers; Flywire, Hyperfuse, Air
Max, Zoom Air and Pro Combat. It’s really not an easy task to balance so
many features, but the 9 did it seamlessly. It also added a performance
textile that visually looks like carbon fiber. The textile is not only
lightweight and supportive, but provided a dynamic presence as the aesthetic focal point of the shoe.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
This was also the first shoe to get the Elite treatment in the Nike
line, which was a pretty incredible feat in footwear. Never before have
we had a shoe that took its investment and added new tooling to it. That
means that it adds cost to the investment by creating essentially what
is a second shoe with the added carbon fiber support wing. This
mentality was monumental and changed the game going forward.
The 9 would go on to become the first shoe that LeBron won a
championship in. It will forever be an iconic piece of the LeBron legacy
simply because of that.
LEBRON x, 2012
Photograph by Anthony Gruppuso/ USA Today
Repeat.
The X is the crown jewel of the LeBron line. It ushered in an
entirely new aesthetic direction. The past nine models had an organic
form following flow, the X brought in a faceted design direction that
was inspired by a diamond.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The X evolved where the line had been, but also took it forward.
Growing from the previous three models and its highly visible Air unit,
the X featured the first ever full-length visible Zoom Air unit. It was
quite impressive and created for an awesome and dominating aesthetic.
From a colorway standpoint, the X did every bit as much as the VIII had.
Nike offered NSW (Nike Sportswear) colorways for the first time,
introducing LeBron's line to an entirely new audience. The first NSW
colorway set the world on fire as it was made out of cork.
LeBron would go on to win his second championship while wearing the
Elite version of the X, which laid the groundwork for many iconic
colorways to come.
LEBRON xi, 2013
Photograph by Steve Mitchell/ USA Today
Powerful Precision.
The X created the faceted approach to designing the line and the XI
mastered it by applying it to a technology that hadn’t been used on the
line in seven years — Foamposite.
Photograph by Liz Barclay
The X was inspired by a diamond to celebrate the pressure that it
took for LeBron to win his first ring. The XI provided a protective suit
for LeBron’s powerful playing style. The shoe looked like the Dark
Knight's Tumbler or a Lamborghini Aventador, but no matter the reference
we had never seen a shoe like it before. It was hard to argue the
presence it had whether LeBron wore it on court or off. An element that
was really new to the footwear world was the level of finishes that
could be applied to the Foamposite pieces. The XI featured automotive
paint, graphic films, high-gloss polished, gold, chrome and denim
amongst other finishes. It put a clinic on for what you can do with
molded materials.
Much like the previous models the shoe balanced every Nike technology
flawlessly, integrating them in a seamless matter that created one of
the plushest LeBrons ever.
LEBRON 12, 2014
Photograph by Ken Blaze/ USA Today
Homecoming.
In many ways the 12 is a return to LeBron’s roots. The obvious
comparison is the fact that LeBron left Miami and returned to Ohio, but
if you break down the 12 it’s really a combination of the best elements
of all the previous LeBrons. — Brett Golliff | COMPLEX
Photograph by Liz Barclay
All sneakers provided courtesy of Flight Club
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"Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart."
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"Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart."