words & images_Zac Dubasik
Last fall, when the Sole Collector team interviewed Penny Hardaway, the words "Copper, like a penny," were what he used to describe a colorway he wanted to see come to his legendary signature line. In a move that surely put a smile on his face, the team at Nike Sportswear was already hard at work on the concept. And if there was ever a shoe destined to take on the metallic shade of our smallest denomination of currency, the Foamposite One was undoubtedly it. Replicating the reflective sheen of a penny is a much more involved process than a simple new colorway, and it presented some interesting challenges for the team. Chris Snyder, Materials Designer for Nike Global Urban Sportswear, began the process by sending an actual penny to his team in Asia, asking for a material to be created as an exact match in color and patina. He knew that getting the material right was a make-or-break element to the shoe, and creating something specific for this situation was the only way to go. The Foamposite One itself has had a long history of success, but the entire story of the copper colorway was dependent on the accuracy of the new material. Almost three months, and multiple rounds of sampling later, the Nike Sportswear team arrived at a material and product they were truly proud of. The result is the ultimate namesake colorway for one of Nike's most beloved athletes. The Copper Foamposite One hits select Nike accounts this Saturday, February 13th, and if history has taught us anything, you might want to jump on these quick, because they won't be sitting on shelves long. 
Also, enjoy a look at the Copper Foamposite during the production stages: 
