Nike’s motto for 2012′s Black History Month is ‘Uplift’ – a strong message highlighted by its brevity and stoicism. The signature graphic print and distinct colors seen on these four Nike Sportswear releases was developed by Nike designers, inspired by the International African culture and drawing visual cues from Kenyan beads, African-American quilt-making, and even the Brazilian Carnivale, and the entire capsule itself is a gesture of celebration of the achievements of three significant teams – the ’96 USA Womens Basketball team, the ’02 Brazil Mens Soccer team, and the ’08 Kenyan Long-Distance Running team. The NSW Black History Month collection will be available at select Nike Sportswear retailers; however, the release of the Air Max 1 has been postponed to a future date. Keep in mind that only the Air Force 1, Blazer, and Huarache Free 2012 will be available tomorrow!

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Sure, some solitary sneaker releases like the recent Air Jordan XI ‘Concord’ Retro and a few others have packed as much (or more) anticipation and frenzy, but we’re not sure if there’s ever been a date in sneaker history with so many high profile releases all dropping on the same day. Where do we start?  How about the Dave White Air Jordan 1 which has been heavily previewed and eagerly awaited while sitting in limbo without a confirmed release date? Or maybe the Nike ‘Black History Month’ Collection featuring Nike Basketball’s three-headed signature model monster and an accompanying set of four NSW offerings? Still not cracking your wallet open? Perhaps the ‘Old Royal’ Air Jordan X will change your mind. Or with Valentine’s Day on the way, maybe it will be a pair of the ‘Voltage Cherry’ Air Jordan IV GS for the lady or little lady in your life. Last but not least is the ‘Dynamic Blue’ colorway of the popular Zoom Rookie LWP model which has thus far been absent from the 2012 release schedule until now.

Quite a crop indeed, and while there is no singular release in the eleven sneakers anywhere near Concord-ian magnitude, the sum of all these parts adds up to quite possibly the most action-packed release date we’ve ever seen and a lot of difficult decisions for sneakerheads everywhere. Oh yeah, and by the way, White/Cement Air Jordan IV’s drop next Saturday and the All-Star weekend batch at the end of the month may trump this week’s bonanza. Hottest month ever? Foot Locker thinks so. Time to smash open those piggy banks and gear up for month long release mayhem, all starting tonight at midnight on NikeStore and nationwide at brick and mortar retailers like Extra Butter. Let us know what you’ll be copping tomorrow night and stay tuned to Sneaker News for all the latest on the February heatwave.

Read the rest of February 11, 2012: Biggest Release Day Ever?

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Six more weeks of winter might not be what you asked for, but Nike Sportswear is ready to make sure that even if this relatively mild winter extends beyond the average duration, you’ll be prepared for the transition into spring. Check out this new Nike WMNS Blazer Mid Premium in Legacy Red with Champagne accents, a look that regular Sneaker News readers will find familiar. They’re essentially the red version of a blue pair we showed you last week, everything from the simple blocking and molded Swoosh to the floral heel tab and fuzzy sockliner. Seeing a range of colors applied to this simple template reminds us one of the reasons why tonal and monochromatic looks have become so dominant in recent years, and this particular pair is awaiting your purchase at NSW spots like Titolo.

Nike WMNS Blazer Mid Premium
Legacy Red/Legacy Red-Champagne
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In examining a recent WMNS Air Max 90 release from Nike Sportswear, we noted that they were the first such model for ladies since a grey woolen pair from the NSW VacTech collection touched down just before the turn of the year.  And though we’ve seen a couple other pairs since then with molded Swooshes, those marked the end of the VT capsule, or so we thought.  Some six weeks later, here comes a new Nike Blazer Mid VT in black wool that manage to reprise an even older Blazer Mid design motif by adding ticked laces like a few pairs from last summer.  Check out this chronological outlier in more detailed images after the jump and grab yours today from Size?.

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One of the best of the more understated custom designs we’ve seen on Sneaker News was a ‘Jet Life’ Blazer SB crafted by JBF that celebrated the New York Jets’ AFC Championship run last season, one that just saw its sequel released a couple weeks back. And while the pair pictured above doesn’t have the custom crafted airliner in its heel tab, this Nike WMNS Blazer Mid Premium does indeed have the kind of vintage Jets appeal that’d make Broadway Joe guarantee you’ll buy them. These Blazer Mids for Ladies aren’t a pre-yellowed VNTG release, but rather achieve the classic look by juxtaposing Lush Green and grey suedes, not to mention the old shcool vibe of this silhouette and its vulcanized sole. Click through to see more angles and pre-order yours before they ship from End this March.

Nike WMNS Blazer Mid Premium
Lush Green/Sail
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Thanks a lot, Punxsutawney Phil! Now we’ve got another six weeks of rotten weather to look forward to because of that pesky varmint, though perhaps this latest release from Nike Sportswear is a sign that taking things back into winter isn’t a bad thing after all. This new Nike WMNS Blazer Mid is the first such silhouette for ladies that’s been sufficiently noteworthy since last summer’s Liberty of London collaboration, its curious blend of Blue Grey suede and sherling along with a VacTech molded Swoosh throw us right back into the thick of boot-buying season. They’re one of the best Blazers for women to come along in a while by default, but are these strong enough to warrant the elusive 1.5-up for male sneakerheads? Let us know what you think of this abominably icy WMNS Blazer Mid and look for them now at NSW shops like Titolo.

Nike WMNS Blazer Mid Premium
Blue Grey/Blue Grey-Obsidian
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Now that Nike has officially pulled back the curtain on the entirety of their silhouettes in celebration of Black History Month for 2012, we get a little bit of background on the graphic prints that run throughout all the sneakers included in the celebration. Apparently designed with three particular athletic squads in mind (the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s team, the 2002 Brazil Men’s Soccer team, and the 2008 Kenyan Long-Distance Running team), the pattern is meant to be a colorful cross between the beads of Kenya, Brazil’s bright Carnivale holiday, and the tradition of African-American quilt making from the US South. And of course along with the updated info we’re treated to some high quality images of the shoes and apparel, a set which should leave you convinced of just how nice this pack is shaping up to be. Follow us after the jump for the shots of the collection which includes models from the Nike Sportswear and Nike Basketball divisions(all of which will be available at Nikestore online), and let us know which among them you’ll be copping on the February 11th release date.

Read the rest of Nike ‘Black History Month 2012′ – Officially Unveiled

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