John Hoke III
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Stanford University
- Nike
- Distinguished Alumni (Pennsylvania State University)
- Pinnacle Award (International Dyslexia Association)
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John Hoke III (born 1965) is an American architect and designer who is the chief innovation officer of Nike, Inc.[1][2][3] He leads the company's design team which includes more than 1,000 product and industrial designers, graphic designers, and fashion designers, as well as architects, interface, and digital content designers.[4][5][6]
Early life and education
Hoke grew up outside of Providence, Rhode Island.[7] As a child, he was athletic and enjoyed running in the Nike waffle trainer shoe.[5][8] After he had worn out a pair, he would slice the shoe in half to examine how it was made.[8]
One summer, Hoke was floating on a raft in a pool, when he wondered what would happen if he could shrink the raft and put it under his foot to cushion and help with shock absorption and spring.[8][5][9] He made sketches of his idea and was encouraged by his father, an engineer, to send it to Nike co-founder and president Phil Knight.[5][10] To his surprise, Knight wrote back and sent him a pair of trainers and a T-shirt, encouraging Hoke to work for Nike when he was older.[8][5] At the time, Hoke was 12 years old.[11][12][10][a]
Hoke has spoken openly about growing up with dyslexia,[13][14][7] and has said that he considers drawing to be his first language.[15][8][10] With support from his parents, he worked with a specialist from Brown University and realized that his dyslexia could be an advantage, and that his strengths were in "art, design, and creativity".[7][16]
Hoke received an undergraduate degree in architecture (B.Arch) from Pennsylvania State University in 1988,[17][18] followed by a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Stanford University MBA.[13]
Work and career
Early in his career, Hoke worked as a model maker for architect Michael Graves, who, until he died in 2015, was a mentor of Hoke's.[15][19] Hoke was hired by Nike in 1992 as a senior designer in environmental design.[20] His early projects at Nike included the Nike pavilion at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and NikeTown New York.[20] In 2002, he became global creative director for footwear design.[20] He served as Nike's Chief Design Officer (CDO) from 2017–2023, and was then named Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) in November 2023. Martin Lotti, a "26-year veteran" of the company, replaced Hoke as CDO.[2]
Collaborations
At Nike, he has collaborated with Serena Williams for almost 20 years. Speaking about Williams for an article in The New York Times by fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, he said "on a scale of 1 to 10 of involvement with her clothes, she is a 10."[21] Under his leadership, Nike has also worked with designers such as Virgil Abloh,[22] Max Lamb, and Sebastian Wrong, the architect Greg Lynn,[23] and artists including Tom Sachs and Travis Scott, and brands such as Jacquemus, Comme des Garçons, and Louis Vuitton.[24][25]
The largest building at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, is the one-million-square-foot (93,000 m2) Serena Williams Building[26][27] which features many references to the athlete's career and her long collaboration with Nike.[28] It was designed by Skylab Architecture,[29] and according to Hoke, involved important creative input from Williams herself.[30] Hoke's house, also designed in collaboration with Skylab Architecture,[31] appears in the Twilight film franchise.[32][33]
Sustainability at Nike
In an interview with Monocle magazine,[24] Hoke said: "Regeneration is going to be a huge part of design’s future, that means the constant reimagining of matter. How this shoe becomes a basketball, becomes a shirt, becomes a bag and goes back to being a shoe. We have that power, that control, as designers.”[34] Hoke has also spoken about Nike's "Move To Zero" design philosophy and the role that circular design, sustainability, and carbon footprint reduction will play in its design practice,[35][1] and has stated that "[o]ur role as a brand is to be very thoughtful about sport and our planet."[6] However, the "Move To Zero" initiative has been criticised for falling short of its stated goals.[36]
In 2023, Nike published a book titled No Finish Line that sets out the company's design vision for the future. The foreword was written by Hoke, and it includes essays and writing by Geoff Manaugh and Sam Grawe.[37][38]
Board membership
Hoke is a permanent design fellow at Pennsylvania State University.[7] He is or has been a member of the Herman Miller Inc. board of directors;[39][40] a trustee at Pacific Northwest College of Art;[13] and a national trustee of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.[41]
Awards and honours
- 2019 Pinnacle Award, International Dyslexia Association[13]
- 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award, Pennsylvania State University[18][42]
Personal life
Hoke lives with his wife and three sons in Portland, Oregon.[40]
Publications
- The Surreal Visions of Hernán Díaz Alonso/HDA-X with a foreword by John Hoke III, ISBN 978-0-500-34350-0
- HAY. Rolf and Mette Hay, edited by Kelsey Keith, with a foreword by John Hoke III, ISBN 978-1-83866-564-7
- Grawe, Sam (2020). Nike: better is temporary. Phaidon, London. ISBN 978-1-83866-051-2. OCLC 1239321925[43]
- After all, there is No Finish Line. (2023) Actual Source, Provo. ISBN 979-8-9872648-0-5[37][44][45]
Notes
- ^ While most articles state that Hoke was 12 years old at the time, Visual Merchandising and Store Design said in 2002 that he was 13.
References
- ^ a b Nepori, Andrea (July 27, 2021). "Designing the Olympics sportswear: Nike's commitment to innovation". www.domusweb.it. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Kish, Matthew (November 15, 2023). "Nike shuffles top executives, names new heads of innovation, design, marketing and technology". oregonlive. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Nike unveils strategic leadership changes". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Nike Design Chief John Hoke on Swoosh Campus, the Metaverse, and the Future of Shoes". Complex. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Palmieri, Jean E. (May 16, 2022). "John Hoke: The Architect Behind Nike's Product Innovations". WWD. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Pei-Ru, Keh (July 31, 2020). "Nike's chief design officer John Hoke on the future of retail design". wallpaper.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Dunn, Stephanie (April 15, 2019). "John Hoke, Chief Design Officer at Nike". The Beacon. The Windward Institute. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Safronova, Valeriya (October 16, 2017). "Nike's Chief of Design Doodles All Day". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ "Nike's chief design officer tells new college grads his superpower is 'wonder' and dyslexia is a 'gift to see the world differently'". Fortune. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Dynamic Duos: 5 Ways Nike Factors Design Into Its Innovation Equation". Fastcompany. August 23, 2013. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ Kish, Matthew. "Nike Chief Design Officer tells college grads to embrace what makes you different. 'I view my dyslexia as a gift to see the world differently.'". Business Insider. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Frepoli, Leonardo (May 6, 2023). "Nike chief design officer John Hoke III reflects on his creative process". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "John Hoke III, Chief Design Officer, Nike, Inc., to Be Presented with IDA Pinnacle Award". International Dyslexia Association. July 30, 2019. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Nike Chief of Design: How Dyslexia Made Him See the World Differently". www.understood.org. October 16, 2019. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Zuckerman, Andrew (October 27, 2021). "Episode 61 – John Hoke on Technology as a Co-Conspirator in Creativity". Time Sensitive. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "Dyslexia is a gift: John Hoke". The Statesman. November 6, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Nike chief design officer interviewed for 'Movers, Shakers'". Penn State University. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b "Eight Penn State alumni to receive Distinguished Alumni Awards in 2023". Penn State University. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ "John Hoke". Clios. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c "John Hoke III". Visual Merchandising and Store Design. September 4, 2002. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
- ^ Friedman, Vanessa (August 29, 2022). "How Serena Williams Won the Fashion Game". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Leitch, Luke (December 1, 2022). "Nike At The Museum: Inside the Private View of Virgil Abloh's Design Legacy". Vogue. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nike installations in Milan focus on different types of motion". Dezeen. April 12, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ a b "Stepping up – Issue 157 – Magazine". Monocle. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ Goh, Yang-Yi (August 22, 2022). "The 50 Greatest Sneaker Collaborations in Nike History". GQ. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "Serena Williams Building at Nike World Headquarters / Skylab Architecture". ArchDaily. August 19, 2022. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ Stansfield, Ted (May 3, 2022). "The Serena Williams Building: inside Nike's new temple to creativity". Dazed. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Serena Williams Building at Nike World Headquarters". nike.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ "Serena Williams Building, Nike World Headquarters". Skylab Architecture. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Newcomb, Tim. "Nike Opens Design-Focused Serena Williams Building, Largest Office Building On Oregon Campus". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ "Hoke House". Skylab Architecture. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "M1 Residence / Skylab Architecture (Twilight movie house)". ArchDaily. January 21, 2009. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ Kolomatsky, Michael (March 9, 2023). "The Oscar for Best House Goes to …". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ "Wednesday 14 September 2022 – The Monocle Minute". Monocle. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "John Hoke Unearths the Rosetta Stone of Nike's Design & Innovation Strategy". Highsnobiety. August 17, 2021. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Bauck, Whitney (September 25, 2019). "Despite Much Fanfare, Nike's New 'Move to Zero' Sustainability Campaign Falls Short". Fashionista. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b "No Finish Line". about.nike.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
- ^ "Nike's 'No Finish Line,' Book Outlines the Brand's Design Vision for the Next 50 Years". Hypebeast. January 10, 2023. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
- ^ "Board of Directors | MillerKnoll". www.millerknoll.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ a b "Global Design Director for Nike Named to Herman Miller Board of Directors". www.sec.gov. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ "John Hoke – Chief Design Officer at Nike". THE ORG. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ "Nike chief design officer and Penn State alumnus John Hoke to visit Penn State | Penn State University". www.psu.edu. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ "Nike | Design | Store | Phaidon". www.phaidon.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ Keh, Pei-Ru (February 1, 2023). "New Nike book is an inspirational handbook for the next generation of creatives and athletes". wallpaper.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "No Finish Line". www.perimeterdistribution.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
External links
- Better is Temporary Virtual Weitzman School Talk moderated by Sarah Rottenberg (interview)
- Design in Dialogue #107 with Glenn Adamson Friedman Benda Gallery (interview)
- John Hoke on Technology as a Co-Conspirator in Creativity. Time Sensitive Ep. 61 (interview)
- John Hoke: Movers Shakers Designers Makers Ep. 7 (interview)
- The Nature of Motion exhibition at Milan Design Week 2016 (interview)
- How to Prioritise Sustainability, Hoke and Samuel Ross at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit (panel discussion)
- How Nike Designs for an N.B.A. Athlete (2017-10-16) The New York Times. (short film)
- How Nike Won the Cultural Marathon. Friedman, Vanessa (2022-06-15).The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
- John Hoke Biography on Forum, Fashion, Tech.