This past week we celebrated a holiday of sorts: the day Marty McFly arrived in the future alongside Doc Brown, or "Back to the Future" day. Oct. 21, 2015, was the exact day that Marty and the Doc traveled to in their time machine/Delorean in "Back to the Future II." Director Robert Zemeckis made some pretty bold predictions on what the future would look like, from hoverboards to 19 sequels to the movie "Jaws." While the hoverboard is not quite ready for the commercial market and "Jaws" currently only has three sequels, the movie did get one thing correct: power laces.
On "Back to the Future" day, actor Michael J. Fox, who played Marty McFly, made an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" wearing the same shoes from the movie, known as the Nike Mag 2015. During the interview, Kimmel asked Fox a question about the shoes, to which Fox answered by pressing the side button and having the shoes lace up themselves. While the laces were not nearly as quick as in the movie, this technology opens up a whole new door for the sneaker world.
The Nike Mags will only be available through auction, so it is unlikely that you will see these shoes on someone's feet on a daily basis. However, these shoes may just be the tip of the iceberg for what is possible in the near future. Shoes of this type serve way more functions than just a simple fashion statement. Not only do power laces represent the simplicity and functionality asked for by the consumer, but this function could also help out those who are disabled and may not be able to tie their own shoes, like Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease.
As an avid member of the sneakerhead community, the Nike Mags visibly excite me. Nike definitely has me in their clutches, and I am excited to see what the future holds because of these shoes. According to Mark Parker, Nike, Inc. president and chief executive officer, "By imagining the future, we create it. Product that comes alive, with on-demand comfort and support when you need, product that senses you and adapts to you is right around the corner.” Maybe one day in the future we will all have shoes with power laces, just like in the future Marty McFly visited.
