nike in beijing: eight is never enough

With 88 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Olympics, Nike unveiled the designs for the uniform collection of 22 of the Chinese sports federations in an extravagant presentation at the Tai Miao ancestral temple east of Beijing's Forbidden City on Monday evening. Drawing on China's rich cultural heritage, the presentation opened with an introduction from a Peking Opera emperor, followed by displays from acrobats, martial artists, and athletes before the uniforms themselves were paraded before the 500 assembled guests. Nike also marked the occasion by unveiling the new Nike Sportswear line at an exhibition in the city's Cable 8 Studio, featuring a series of video portraits by celebrated artist and designer Robert Wilson. The China touch remains at the forefront of the new range, which plays heavily on the auspicious nature of the number eight in Chinese culture. Eight products have been revamped, and the eight-sided octagon features throughout the collection. The most striking piece was perhaps the reworked Air Force 1 shoe, dubbed the "Black Widow." Its distinctive upper features a latticed cage effect inspired by the iconic Bird's Nest stadium.



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