"A good designer is a good listener first" says Martin Lotti
Nike chief design officer Martin Lotti has joined Dezeen Awards 2026 as a judge. As the 2026 World Cup kicks off, he talks to Dezeen about five key projects that best represent his approach to design.
Lotti has been at the helm of Nike's creative vision for nearly three decades.
He is responsible for consumer-facing brand, product and retail executions across all sport and lifestyle categories at Nike for both men and women.
His mission, as he puts it, is simply to "solve problems and make people fly".
"Ultimately, my job is to use design to solve athlete problems that empower them to perform at their best and achieve what once felt impossible," said Lotti.
The designer has overseen a number of notable projects across the brand including the Olympics and World Cup, as well as the iconic Jordan brand.
However, according to Lotti, the most important project he has designed to date, "is not a single product or event – it is the creative culture and community around design".
Central to this, for Lotti, is the value of listening which has helped the designer connect with the needs of his vast and diverse brand base.
"It starts with listening," he said. "A good designer is a good listener first."
"When you truly listen, design becomes more human, more meaningful and more impactful."
With Dezeen Awards judging underway, Lotti is amongst the 60-strong industry leaders who are currently evaluating this year's entries.
Read on to find Lotti's pick of projects that best represent his work:
NikeAir_Lab at Milan Design Week, 2026
"The Air Lab was created as a space to celebrate the creative process, show the power of iteration and exploration and inspire the next generation of designers. Rather than a temporary installation, we wanted to leave something of lasting value for the creative community.
"It reflects our belief that design should contribute beyond the product itself. Design becomes more powerful when you open the process and invite others in."
Read more about NikeAir Lab at Milan Design Week 2026 ›
Hollywood Keepers Kits for World Cup, 2026
"Goalkeepers live in the margins between hero and heartbreak. We designed the kits to project presence – bold, confident, unmistakable.
"Balancing performance needs, national pride, soulful details and a whole bunch of attitude. Because performance is not only physical, it is psychological."
Nike Radical AirFlow, 2025
"With Nike Radical AirFlow, we stopped asking how to make fabric lighter and started asking how to make the body cooler.
"The answer was geometry that creates airflow as the athlete moves by capturing, compressing and accelerating air.
"Wearing this shirt feels like 1,000 tiny fans blowing at you. It showed how design can transform scientific insight into a tangible performance benefit. It's a reminder that performance innovation often comes from challenging the status quo."
London Olympic Games, 2012
"Let's talk about the London Olympic Games and the colour Volt. Rather than moving forward with the original six planned colourways, we made a choice. We edited down to just one – Volt.
"By using one of the most visible colours to the human eye and applying it across all sports, all federations, it became the most memorable part of the Games. Those Volt shoes truly created impact."
Nike Kyoto, 2002
"This project was about discipline: removing noise, editing until only the essential remained. The inspiration came from a Zen garden, a reminder that simplicity is not minimalism, it is mastery.
"When you reduce something to its core, performance becomes clearer. Nike Kyoto reinforced my belief that simplicity is often the most powerful expression of innovation."
Shortlists announced in September
We'll be announcing all shortlisted projects on Dezeen in late September. Each shortlisted entry gets its own page on the Dezeen Awards website, which is viewed two million times a year! See last year's shortlists here.
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Dezeen Awards 2026 in partnership with Trimble
Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers worldwide. The ninth edition of the annual awards is in partnership with global technology company Trimble. Through connected hardware and software solutions, Trimble helps designers to transform the way they shape spaces and buildings as well as drive productivity in the process. Trimble's collaboration with Dezeen Awards demonstrates its ongoing commitment to inspiring and supporting creative excellence across the globe.
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