Customization gets ultra-serious with 3D-printed LED high-top sneakers

Any athlete can tell you how important it is to have great shoes that hold up to hours of game time and miles of footwork. Perfecting fitting footwear helps optimize performance by minimizing pain and maximizing efficiency. Trouble is that each of us has a unique footprint that is additionally impacted by factors such as how and where we put our weight when walking and running. Regular readers know that customization is one of the major trends we track, and there are few products that are more ripe for personalization that the ubiquitous shoe. Basketball star Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks is betting big on this trend in general, and one brand in particular: SOLS, which is creating 3D-printed high-top sneakers. Anthony and his partners are said to have invested $11 million toward the development of these kicks, which utilize pressurized sensors and gyroscopes that adapt in real time to the wearer’s foot movements. And because almost every cool new product these days has to come with a visible social signifier that raises its owner's status, these sneakers are embedded with LED lights that can change color with your outfit. Whether SOLS are for you or not, it is likely that your feet will get the personalized treatment from one brand or another in the not-too-distant future.