Nike Presto Shoes

When the first prototype came around, Hatfield gave it to a runner that normally wore a size 11. The prototype was a size 9, but Hatfield said nothing until the wear-testing ended.  Despite the size difference, the runner returned with great reviews. Hatfield soon realized he had revolutionized sneaker sizing, and the first Presto was released in sizes ranging from XS to XL – just like the sizing of a t-shirt.

Presto Magic!

Nike wanted some serious hype for this revolutionary drop, but lacking a fitting name, they put out a call to hundreds of creatives for ideas. One submitted name – Presto Magic – was a clear winner. Due to its magical ability to fit so seamlessly without the need for half sizes, Nike finally found a name that stuck.

As for the hype, the Presto was preceded by a huge media campaign.  The Presto advertised 13 different colorways with crazy names ranging from Abdominal Snowman to Presto Bill, and each colorway was given its own TV ad.  As if this wasn’t enough attention for the Presto, the release came right about the time of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making the Presto an instant favorite.

“A T-shirt for the Foot”

The Nike Presto broke ground as a prototype in the late 90’s with Tobie Hatfield, legendary sneaker designer of countless Jordan Retros hard at work. He had been searching for the right formula to make a shoe feel like your bare feet – an idea Nike tried to build for years. The problem at hand: leather was too heavy, and when neoprene was added to the mix it only trapped in heat. It wasn’t until a new material, space mesh, was discovered that allowed next level flexibility and breathability -- birthing the first iteration of the Presto as we know it.

When the first prototype came around, Hatfield gave it to a runner that normally wore a size 11. The prototype was a size 9, but Hatfield said nothing until the wear-testing ended.  Despite the size difference, the runner returned with great reviews. Hatfield soon realized he had revolutionized sneaker sizing, and the first Presto was released in sizes ranging from XS to XL – just like the sizing of a t-shirt.

Presto Magic!

Nike wanted some serious hype for this revolutionary drop, but lacking a fitting name, they put out a call to hundreds of creatives for ideas. One submitted name – Presto Magic – was a clear winner. Due to its magical ability to fit so seamlessly without the need for half sizes, Nike finally found a name that stuck.

As for the hype, the Presto was preceded by a huge media campaign.  The Presto advertised 13 different colorways with crazy names ranging from Abdominal Snowman to Presto Bill, and each colorway was given its own TV ad.  As if this wasn’t enough attention for the Presto, the release came right about the time of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making the Presto an instant favorite.