Melitta Baumeister is a German-born fashion designer based in New York, whose practice moves between fashion, art, and performance. Known for an experimental approach to form and material, her work often treats the body as an active structure rather than a fixed silhouette. This research now extends into new territory through her collaboration with Nike. Presented in New York last year during Marathon week through an experiential installation and live performance, the project marks her first collaboration with the brand on a performance shoe. Starting from the Vomero Premium, Baumeister reworks colour and perception, transforming function into an expressive study of movement and presence.
MELITTA BAUMEISTER: BEYOND THE PRIMARY FUNCTION
MA:
The insoles read “THINK OUTSIDE”, which feels like both a challenge and a manifesto. What does that phrase mean to you, and how does it reflect your way of approaching design and boundaries?
MB:
love that you caught that double meaning. “THINK OUTSIDE” obviously plays on “think outside the box” — a mantra every creative person has to interpret for themselves. For me, it’s both a challenge and a commitment: an invitation to innovate, to stay curious, to take risks, and to move beyond what feels comfortable. That mindset is the foundation of my practice and what fuels every collection and project we take on.
Fashion is built around a slow-moving definition of appearance and beauty. Questioning those definitions — and proposing alternative answers — is where fashion becomes relevant for me again. Pushing conventions is what makes bringing another product into the world worthwhile, beyond the mechanics of business.
The Vomero Premium marked our first collaboration with Nike. That was especially meaningful to me, because it builds a bridge between fashion and real sport. Going outside and being active is an essential part of my daily life, and it directly shapes how I design. Now, more than ever, I can challenge my customers to try something new, to move, to be active — and to truly “THINK OUTSIDE.”
MA:
You turned a sneaker into a moving sculpture. When does design stop serving function and start speaking as art?
MB:
I usually avoid calling my own work art, even though the way we think and create often resonates with the art world. What matters to me is that the work is driven by an idea with the potential to connect with people beyond its primary function.
For me, design becomes art when function and intention merge without compromise — when the object still serves a purpose but also communicates something: a mood, an attitude, a way of thinking. Today, something functional can absolutely be art, or even become art because of its function. That’s where everyday objects become exciting, and what we should all expect from the things we choose to surround ourselves with.
MA:
You describe running as a way to see familiar surroundings in a new light, letting rhythm inhabit the body rather than the stopwatch. How do you translate that sense of fluid, personal movement into the objects and garments you create?
MB:
I want the things I make to have an impact on the wearer, and for me that’s tied to challenging habits and routines. It’s not about keeping someone comfortable in the way they’ve learned to be over the years, but about offering a chance to see themselves in a new light.
That’s very close to running for me — when your body takes over, your mind starts wandering, and you begin seeing your familiar surroundings differently. In design, that translates into questioning shape, fit, and proportion, while doing so without alienating the wearer. It’s an invitation, not a provocation.
Our studio process plays a huge role in this. We work directly on the body, with the material in our hands — draping, cutting, painting. We keep screens out of this stage almost entirely. I believe that direct, hands-on approach is key to giving the work a different feel and atmosphere.
MA:
If you could step away from everything for a moment, where would you run — or just be?
MB:
If I could step away from all the noise that comes with running a business, you’d still find me in the studio — maybe even more than now. That’s where I feel happy and find peace. But I also understand how important it is to take breaks and give your mind new inputs.
My partner, Michal, is an ultra-distance cyclist who is completely in love with Kyrgyzstan and would always choose that as the place to run to… I’d love to join him someday… but I also can’t stop thinking about the incredible food I had in Peru.