#Paris #France #Sports Innovation #Paris Design Week #ANTA FOLD

ANTA FOLD Unveiled at the Paris Design Week 2026

In September 2026, ANTA, a prominent Chinese sportswear brand, made waves at the prestigious Paris Design Week held at the China Creative Pavilion (CCP). This exciting event is a significant platform for global design trends, showcasing ANTA's latest innovation: ANTA FOLD. With a striking installation that draws inspiration from the traditional art of origami, ANTA presented a unique journey into the world of sports technology, highlighting how ancient art forms can converge with modern mechanical computing to create groundbreaking structural designs.

The star of the show was "From Plane to Rebound", a large-scale installation that provided a tangible interpretation of ANTA's origami mechanics. Having debuted in Shanghai, this artistic installation further evolved in Paris, enabling interaction with diverse audiences across cultural backgrounds. The installation itself is crafted entirely from a single sheet of paper and consists of 720 triangular tessellated units. Remarkably, it showcases the outline of a running shoe purely through natural deformations, avoiding any cuts or adhesives. This impressive visual display intuitively illustrates the distribution of forces, revealing how a seemingly delicate sheet of paper can bear substantial loads through structural transformation. Standing before this artwork allows observers to appreciate the synergy between artistic design and structural science.

Developed by ANTA’s Innovation Laboratory, in collaboration with esteemed academic figures like Professor Zhong You from the University of Oxford and Professor Yan Chen from Tianjin University, ANTA FOLD intertwines the principles of traditional origami with modern engineering mechanics. By applying the structural and mechanical diversity of origami to the midsoles of running shoes, ANTA has brought forth a quantifiable "philosophy of structural engineering". This visionary project has culminated in the creation of an extensible structural matrix platform, allowing for tailored adjustments to the origami units, thus optimizing weight and enhancing performance according to different user requirements.

Among the configurations showcased, the H1 Waterbomb, featuring a negative Poisson's ratio arranged in a staggered formation of classic six-folded units, vividly demonstrates how the folded structure of the midsole works. It is engineered to concentrate energy during landing and rapidly release it during take-off, resulting in impressive shock absorption and responsive rebound - ideal for both daily commutes and urban running scenarios. Meanwhile, the Z1 Square-twist and M1 Multi-layer configurations address rolling scenarios and energy absorption, respectively, showcasing the versatility of the technology.

ANTA FOLD has garnered prestigious accolades, including the Red Dot Design Award and multiple MUSE Design Awards in the US, establishing itself at the forefront of global research in structural cushioning technologies. Franck Millot, president of Paris Design Week, remarked on the sports industry’s innovative use of new materials, highlighting the intertwined balance between technology and design. He stated that a running shoe can also be considered a work of art, noting ANTA FOLD's significance in embodying the rise of a uniquely confident Chinese style.

In addition to the exhibition, ANTA FOLD also played a pivotal role in the immersive event titled Architecture Running, integrating the running technology into the urban fabric of Paris. Esteemed members of the local running community, alongside international luminaries, donned ANTA FOLD shoes to traverse the city’s renowned landmarks, initiating a dialogue between futuristic structures and timeless architectural moments.

Visitors were also engaged in a hands-on workshop, FOLD, where they could delve into the art of origami and its mechanical ingenuity. Rather than passively observing, participants were guided by an artist to craft their own origami structures, experiencing firsthand the blend of resistance and beauty each fold could exhibit. As a vital component of the CCP, ANTA FOLD marks a transformative shift for Chinese sports brands, transitioning from mere fabrication power to exporting innovative technologies and creative design.

Since the introduction of ANTA FOLD and its classes on "The Physics of Folded Space" at the Design Innovation Institute in Shanghai, to its groundbreaking presentation in Beverly Hills, and now at Paris Design Week, ANTA FOLD is committed to enhancing the performance and social presence of runners around the globe.

By contributing a sports-oriented perspective to the CCP, themed "Bon Goût! Good Taste!", Lou Yongqi, president of the Shanghai University of Engineering Science, praised ANTA FOLD's creativity. He emphasized that transforming familiar cultural experiences into product innovations through scientific and technological approaches represents a fascinating mode of expression and inspiration. He also suggested that origami could warrant academic study due to its ongoing research and development potential.

More than just a technological leap within Chinese sports, ANTA FOLD has achieved international design recognition, reaffirming the brand’s leadership in structural cushioning and underscoring its aesthetic innovation and functional design superiority. This marks the evolution from 'Made in China' to 'Designed in China'. The journey of 30 years of innovation has culminated in Paris, where ANTA harmonizes the beauty of a design rooted in Chinese ingenuity with advanced structural innovation, offering athletes around the world smarter, more efficient, and distinctively Chinese sporting solutions.