Breaking Down The Nike Air Footscape and Woven Revival

Developed by Nike’s Advanced Project Engineering Group, or APE, the Air Footscape was crafted in an experimental era of footwear design when function trumped form. This resulted in a running shoe that directly correlated to the human foot and promoted natural motion when exercising. Packed with an advanced ergonomic fit and off-centre orthopaedic lacing system, the Air Footscape is an icon of 1990s sneaker design.

When compared to modern innovations in 2023, the Air Footscape wouldn’t be considered out-there, but upon its 90s debut, it introduced radical concepts that helped build a dedicated cult following.

This month, Footscape fiends are freaking because the Woven is being prepped for resurrection. While deep down diehard supporters are wishing Nike was focusing on a full-scale OG retro, we’re just psyched that Team Swoosh are once again highlighting the criminally underrated silhouette.

Trust Your Feet, Not Your Eyes

The Air Footscape was designed by Toren ‘Tory’ Orzeck, an employee of Nike between 1991-1995. He was a key member of APE and the creator of the Foamposite and Air Moc. In an interview with us from 2006, Orzeck said he ‘proposed doing a real Footform running shoe’. After getting the okay from the higher-ups, he began work, casting ‘many men’s and women’s feet, not quite in the thousands, but a scientific journal respectable number’.

Further developed in Nike’s Sports Research Laboratory, Orzeck pushed for the Air Footscape to be as ergonomic as possible, with an upper crafted to be form-fitting, attached to a lightweight phylon midsole – which was later used in the Mayfly and Presto – and rear plastic heel cup for support. The off-centre side-lacing of the Air Footscape is the signature detail and was actually inspired by orthopaedic shoes.

Described best by Orzeck: ‘I had seen orthopaedic shoes with side-laces prior and I did a little research as to the benefits. If you look at human foot anatomy there are major arteries and nerves superficial to the dorsal surface of the foot. Moving the laces to the lateral side takes the point loads caused by the laces away from these more vulnerable anatomical structures.’

Because of the then-zany lacing and link to orthopaedic footwear, Orzeck told us that ‘the Footscape was almost killed as being too risky’. Now, the iconic system has gone on to become the go-to for football boot design, alongside plenty of lifestyle models – even some high-end brands have adopted the off-centre approach. While Orzeck left Nike in 1995, the Footscape lived on in the form of retro releases, new variations and wild colourways.

The Many Variations

Between the late-90s and 2010s, Nike continued the footscape fiesta with a variety of derivative builds. Directly following the OG in 1996 came the Stasis, which opted for the same shape and continued the use of suede and mesh, plus the phylon midsole. Instead of the mini-Swoosh came an enlarged chenille version plastered on the lateral side. Then in 2001, the Air Footscape 2 Presto was released, merging the two iconic designs, and the Air Footscape Leather came after, swapping out the usual material to exude a lifestyle feel. Throughout the mid-2000s, a swathe of more FS variants, like the Woven and Woven Chukka touched down. Between 2012-2018, There was another uptick in Footscape activity, with Nike releasing the Motion, Desert Chukka and Footscape Free, football-geared Magista, Natural Motion variants and Utility.

The OG Footscape is almost thirty years old, and it’s been over a decade since #properfootscapes (coined by krazeefox, FS collector from Issue 33) have been part of Nike’s offering. While we probably won’t be getting the ‘Mystic Teal’ anytime soon, a Woven revival is on the cards for this August, and hopefully a full Footscape resurrection will follow.

Originally touching down in the mid-2000s, the Air Footscape Woven is instantly recognisable thanks to the ‘Woven’ panel across the lateral and medial. Following the OG release, they returned briefly between 2016 and 2017 in various colourways with Nike’s NM (Natural Motion) sole. In April, seemingly out of the blue, rumours started spreading that the Air Footscape Woven was set to make a comeback. Now, two colour combos have been confirmed to arrive, with more rumoured to be on the way!

Will there be an all-out Footscape rival? Well, sacai collaborated on the new Magmascape silhouette for the brand’s AW23 Paris Fashion Week show. Japanese fashion house CDG also released their own blacked-out iteration in 2019, and they have a reputation for helping revive obscure Nike models.

Here’s to hoping we can cop the ‘Mystic Teal’ again soon.

Keep it locked here to keep up to date with all the latest Footscape releases.