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Merrell debuts the MTL SpeedARC Peak, a new benchmark in trail-running performance, launching as part of the brand’s 45th Anniversary collection. To showcase the technical shoe, we created a film using a mixed live-action and CG approach, showing the behind-the-scenes of the product, which was developed in the Merreel Test Lab through a five-year process.

We designed and built a custom set composed of intricate mechanical structures inspired by the precision and aesthetics of a surgical laboratory.

Within this industrial testing environment, shoe components are dissected, replaced, and refined, visualising an ongoing process of experimentation and optimisation. Each iteration represents a step toward achieving the ultimate performance-driven design.

To contrast with the controlled mechanical world, we introduced natural terrain elements into the lower section of the set, transforming the space into a hybrid testing lab where engineering meets the outdoors. This environment reflects the rigorous conditions the shoe is designed to conquer.

The result is an exploration of performance, an industrial lab where every component is challenged until the shoe reaches its most advanced form, engineered to be resilient on uneven terrain, balancing agility and control.

Using AI-assisted workflows, we combined live-action footage with previous test models of the shoe, generating different versions of the midsole, tread, and upper. These evolving parts illustrate the product’s development journey, culminating in the final SpeedARC Peak design.