NYC Designer Melitta Baumeister Unveils Nike Rift Rocker, Clay-Sole Sneaker Out Nov. 5

New York designer Melitta Baumeister has shown the second chapter of her collaboration with Nike. At a performance called Molded by Dedication on the evening of October 23, she introduced the Rift Rocker, a sneaker whose sole she shaped by hand in clay. The brand's Instagram says everything releases on November 5 at melittabaumeister.com, and shortly after globally. No price has been given in the official posts.

The sneaker came with a head-to-toe look: a sculptural tracksuit with a twisted jacket and bent legs, and an oversized reversible puffer. Photos from the event show the sneaker in brown and black, along with hooded caps and voluminous down coats. On the black pair, a hook-and-loop style strap carries the words "MELITTA BAUMEISTER NEW YORK CITY."

The performance ran across five rooms and follows Run Like No One Is Watching, the first part of the collaboration. It focuses on the part of a practice that usually stays hidden: repetition, falling down and trying again. The message is that greatness doesn't rely on talent alone, and that artists and athletes are built, not born. The set included oversized clay hands and feet, a brass tuba and white podium-style platforms. The cast was divided into roles named The Guide, The Artist, The Sculptor, The Spark and The Muscles. Melitta Baumeister handled creative direction, with art direction by mi.hau and styling by Bernat Buscato.

The story began earlier in Seoul. On September 5 and 6, Nike Lab Seoul presented part one at 25 Hyojaro, Jongno-gu, as part of NikeLab Seoul 2026 and Seoul art week. Choreographer Kim Seol-jin directed the performance there, and the collaboration's products were first shown. For Japanese readers, the East Asian preview followed by a New York finale is a notable detail. The official posts do not name a venue or address for the New York evening.