Up until 1998, when the Japanese sportswear brand Mizuno debuted the 'Wave', a piece of cushioning tech that is still in the shoemaker's modern releases, Nike had dominated the space with its air-cushioned technology. But the Wave Rider sneaker sought to turn that hegemony on its head.
At the core of the technology is the so-called 'Wave plate', a piece of tensile material the runs longitudinally through the sole of the shoe that compresses and expands, transforming the energy of the heel strike into forward propulsion. Speaking to High Snobiety, Tuan Le, the designer of the original Wave technology, said: “This Wave technology was the opposite of what Nike Air was. Nike Air was a big airbag that cushioned the impact of running but the Wave Plate stretches out upon impact and propels the runner forward as it returns to its regular waved shape.”
Today, the Japanese brand has experienced something of a renaissance with its Wave Rider β (aka Beta), a modern athleisure iteration that uses the midsole of the Wave Rider 26 with aesthetics inspired by Mizuno’s 2000s running archive. We've always been fans of Mizuno trainers, but the Wave Rider β represented a new direction for the Japanese company when the collection was first released. This season, we're stocking some of the best colourways featuring soft, earthy understated tones that are perfect for combining with spring and summer hues.
By repurposing its proprietary technology into a sportstyle collection designed for everyday use, this era of Wave Rider's will likely go down in sneaker lore, just as its predecessors did a quarter of a decade ago.
Marathon Man
It's the London Marathon this weekend and our Studio Manager Rhys Briaris has been in training ready to smash it. Putting yourself through 26.2 miles of torture is not everyone's idea of a weekend jolly, but Rhys is doing it for a great cause:
“I secured a ballot place for the London Marathon, despite initially being hesitant about running a marathon. I’ll be running not just for myself, but also for Great Ormand Street Hospital, inspired by my friend’s nephew Vinny, fighting B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Every Km will be dedicated to the excellent work they do and to the amazing help they're giving Vinny.”
Click here to visit Rhys's Just Giving page to donate.