October 4, 2007

Racy News: Nike Designs Shoe for Native Americans

It’s no secret that companies design and market products for different geographic, social, and cultural demographics, from marketing to Hispanics to designing for the California skate/punk scene. The latest news comes from Nike, which has now designed a shoe specifically for Native Americans, in “an effort aiming at promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates,” according to the Huffington Post. The Air Native N7 “is designed with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look,” which includes feather and surise/sunset motifs. The sneakers will be sold only to tribal schools and wellness programs, at the wholesale price of $42.80 (Nike anticipates that many organizations will distribute the shoes for free to tribal members).