Long before the days of Flyknit, Zoom, and Air, Nike was a company that relied on leather, rubber, and a striking new Swoosh logo designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 (then a student at Portland State University). The Nike Cortez, which debuted originally as the Corsair marathon shoe in the late 60s, is without question the most famous Nike sneaker in the pre-innovation era and certainly one of the brand’s best recognizable shoes in history. Thanks to its adoption by Los Angeles street culture and a minor yet impactful role in the film Forrest Gump, the clean and simple Cortez became a pop culture icon. The Cortez was actually big in NY as well before East Coast as a whole began moving towards the Air Force 1 and Reeboks.
Tomorrow, Nike is re-introducing the Cortez to mainstream culture with a huge marketing campaign that includes an endless array of colorways, Compton and LBC-specific designs, and an Instagram “influencer” who is a mainstay on fashion magazine covers. Those who have laced up the Cortez with unflinching loyalty have a deaf ear to all this hoopla, but for the rest who are uninformed, get familiar with one of Nike’s best shoes in history. The Nike Cortez in the original white/red/blue releases tomorrow on Nike.com and at select retailers like Sneaker Politics for $80 (prices may vary depending on retailer).
Nike Cortez OG
Release Date: Spring 2017
AVAILABLE ON Nike.com
$80
Color: White/Varsity Red-Varsity Royal
Style Code: 902801-100
Where To Buy Nike Cortez
- eBay
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