For most people, buying shoes is still a small existential crisis. Do you go classic leather or lightweight knit? Foam midsole or air cushion? Something that makes you look taller, faster, or at least less tired on the way to work? While the rest of us are still agonising over which pair goes best with our leg-day at gym, the footwear industry has already sprinted several steps ahead, straight into the age of smart shoes.

Once a humble matter of stitching and sole, the shoe has quietly become a laboratory of sensors, processors, and even AI. Take Nike’s Project Amplify, unveiled this year, which promises to “add a little more power to your stride”. The system (because calling it a shoe feels weak) pairs a carbon-fibre-plated trainer with a tiny motor, a drive belt, and a rechargeable an

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