Nike’s AR Shoe Experience

There are lots of things one might think when one hears the term augmented reality, but shoes probably isn’t one of them.

Which is probably why most of us aren’t executives at Nike, which is embracing augmented reality (AR) tech in a somewhat novel way but allowing consumers to sample shoes they like in other colors — all through the magic of AR. To tap into the resource, consumers can take a white sneaker and (using tech from French firm SmartPixels) and use it as a template to switch between different colors at will.

There are a few catches. The first is that to get the full feel, one must use a store table — as opposed to one’s own smart device — because the color is projected via hologram onto an actual physical shoe. There are also only three styles of shoe that can be used with the program: AirMax, LunarEpic Low and Cortez. And, probably the biggest limit — the technology is so far only an option at Nike’s Paris location, so if one happens to be strolling the Champs-Élysées and wants a new experience, this is an option. If you happen to be reading this in New York, you may have to wait a bit.