Oui, it’s us again. Reporting live from Paris.

We returned to the city of love, light, and baguettes for the final week of Olympic fanfare—and fashion discovery, of course. Can you blame us? Last time we spoke, we were traipsing across town to spot the coolest style from athletes and Parisians alike. We dove into what the French are actually wearing this summer, discovered D. Book’s latest Nike drop (the Nike Book 1 in Python), and explored Team USA’s Medal Ceremony looks designed with ability inclusivity and sustainability at its core. We’ve garnered more viral moments and, most importantly, collected more gold medals since the Olympic flame has officially been extinguished.

We all love to see these athletes achieve superhuman feats, but what happens after the event? You know, when the Olympians return to their village for some much-needed R&R? We were wondering the same thing. Nicolaia Rips, certified Olympic fangirl, headed over to the Nike Paris HQ for a firsthand look at the cutting-edge tech allowing the likes of Sha’Carri and Lebron to seriously recover and be ready to compete at the top of their game.

The answer: “precovery.” For the less athletically inclined, that’s recovering both before and after an event. Nike teamed up with renowned recovery brand Hyperice to create wearable technology in the form of compression boots and a vest for pre and post-workout routines. 

Think of the compression boots like a wearable sports massage, a necessary component of any athlete’s maintenance. For these Olympians, a simple pulled muscle or tissue tear is actually a major setback. To avoid being sidelined, the biggest names in the Games this year turned to the boots. The hightop shoe pushes heat and air compression into the inner regions of the foot to keep everything right and tight. 

On top, athletes are reaching for the Nike x Hyperice vest for the ultimate warm-up/cool-down duo. The jetpack-looking contraption features thermal sensors that allow athletes to control their micro-climate on demand. Now athletes don’t need ice baths or “space blankets” for muscle recovery because they’ve got a vest to do it all for them. Now, that’s some Edna Mode-esque technology. Where’s my super suit?

So that’s before and after a workout—but what about during? In other words, what are we listening to? After all, music is part of every athlete’s mental prep rituals. Well, fret no more. Nike is already on it. 

We caught up with Nike athlete Colin Kaepernick to check out the latest listening technology. Gearing up for his next athletic endeavor (a 10K race in Paris), Kaepernick is supercharging with hip-hop and R&B in his headphones leading up to race day. But you know Nike—they’re not going to just settle with that. 

Nike dials things up a notch in collaboration with design firm Paulin, Paulin, Paulin to create the SOUND.TRACK.SPACE, an innovative sofa installation slash conversation pit slash speaker, all in Nike orange. Here, music gets a little more immersive. Sounds are literally sewn into the fabric and tracks are designed to move around you for an equal parts fascinating and trippy experience. Obviously sitting there with Kap himself, we weren’t going to miss the chance to listen to a name-dropping anthem. His favorite? “Big Bank” by Big Sean and YG.

C’mon, we weren’t going to leave the capital of fashion without bagging a bespoke look! David Bellion (yes, as in the professional footballer) has enjoyed a career of major championship wins and iconic style moments. Today, the former Manchester United striker has turned into a global creative consultant and multifaceted creative, including all things fashion. We turned to Bellion for a masterclass in what he does best (sporty-chic) in the color Nike does best (say it with us: Nike orange).

The Frenchman pays homage to Roland-Garros, reaching for an orange crop top and breezy gorpcore skirt for a kind of look you could take from the stadium to the streets. Bellion steps up the chic with a bit of accessorizing. His pick? Orange-tinted oval-shaped shades. Très trendy. Because sometimes, you’ve got to see life through orange-colored glasses…or whatever they say.

And with that, we’re out. Au revoir, Paris. It’s been real. Merci for the Olympic memes, style tips, and inside looks at innovative tech. Color us impressed. And like all the greats, we officially have more orange in our wardrobes than ever before.

Click here to discover more from Nike's takeover in Paris.