Footwear including an adaptable and adjustable lacing system

An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a hindfoot region, a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the hindfoot region, a lateral side, and a medial side, wherein the lateral and medial sides extend along each of the forefoot region, hindfoot region and midfoot region, the article of footwear including a foot cavity configured to house a foot, the article of footwear comprising:

• a sole structure;
• a flat knit upper coupled to the sole structure, the flat knit upper comprising a knit textile formed of a plurality of interlocked strands and defining an exterior surface of the flat knit upper, the knit textile configured to form a lace fastener comprising a first opening separated from a second opening by a knit segment of the knit textile, the lace fastener configured to move from a first, in-plane configuration, in which the knit segment is generally in plane with the exterior surface of the knit textile, to a second, out-of-plane configuration, in which the knit segment is generally out of plane with the exterior surface of the knit textile, wherein each of the first opening and the second opening comprises an elongated slot oriented in a direction transverse a lengthwise direction of the flat knit upper;
• and
• a lace operable to fasten the flat knit upper to the foot in the foot cavity, the lace extending over the exterior surface of the knit textile and through each of the first opening and the second opening such that the lace is positioned under the knit segment to orient the knit segment in the second, out-of-plane configuration and the knit segment protrudes from the exterior surface of the knit textile.