Nike Shoes: From Humble Beginnings to Global Domination

Nike made a name for itself at a time when other sneaker brands were already well-established. Several wise decisions helped Nike become a legendary shoe brand. A commitment to technical innovation as well as clever marketing worked hand in hand to propel Nike to the top.

Brief Overview of How Nike Got Started

Track-and-field coach Bill Bowerman partnered with a former university student Phil Knight to form Nike in 1964. At the time, they called the business Blue Ribbon Sports. It was in 1978 that they renamed the company Nike. In early 2000, the brand had retail outlets and distributors in over 170 countries. 

Bowerman had a passion for tweaking sneakers to optimize them for performance. Knight was the first student to take his shoes for a test run. He was happy with the results, and a teammate Otis Davis took them next to try. Davis won a gold Olympic medal in the 400-meter dash in 1960 while wearing the shoes.

Blue Ribbon Sports had its start with Knight selling Tiger shoes out of his car. They were quality alternatives to adidas and Pumas. Bowerman proposed an idea for tweaking the shoes to make them perform better.

These changes included:

• Cushioned innersole 

• Firm rubber outsole

• Hard sponge rubber in the mid-heel

• Soft sponge rubber in the top of the heel

• Soft sponge rubber in the forefoot

Blue Ribbon Sports and Tiger dubbed it Tiger Cortez and released it in 1967. Although it was successful, conflict started between Blue Ribbon Sports and Tiger. Knight says that Tiger was trying to get out of its exclusivity deal. Tiger claims that Blue Ribbon Sports started selling the Tiger Cortez as Nike.

The two companies ended their partnership in 1971. Tiger sued Nike over Tiger Cortez. The judge ruled that both companies were allowed to sell their versions of the sneakers. Nike began selling it as Nike Cortez, and Tiger named their version Tiger Corsair.

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James are some of the athletes who have endorsed Nike. Being a talented player, Michael Jordan had other shoe brands trying to form a partnership with him. Nike won him over by making a grand offer: five years of $500,000 payments and two Mercedes cars. The brand also promised to customize the sneakers to his requests.

Bryant was signed with adidas before he changed to Nike in 2003. His first Nike sneaker was launched in 2006. Although he has passed away, his family decided to continue the partnership with Nike.

James also has a long history with Nike. His first signature sneaker came out in 2003, and he now has over 17 models. Like Jordan and Bryant, he's a well-respected basketball player.

Nike's Recent Innovations

Nike introduced new midsole technology Spark in 2022 with the release of Spark Flyknit 1. It has a layered design consisting of firm foam, a plastic plate, and soft foam. Spark midsoles increase energy return and reduces forefoot flection. You can find Spark Flyknit sneakers on eBay.

Nike Adapt turns your sneakers into smart shoes. Through your smartphone, you can change the light color, check on the battery, and switch fit modes. The sneakers also electronically adjust to your foot shape. Voice commands work with Nike Adapt shoes as well. They are compatible with Siri and Google Voice. 

FlyEase, introduced in 2015, is a technology that Nike licensed from Kizik, for those who have disabilities. This design makes it possible for people to put on their shoes without hands.

Top Nike Product Lines

 Nike Air and Air Jordan are two of the brand's successful sneaker product lines. The brand's air technology was launched in 1978 and continues to be a hit. Nike has managed to improve upon this technology over the years. Air sneakers use pressurized air in durable, flexible bags as cushioning. They are typically lightweight and springy and absorb impact. Nike stores generated over $100 million during the first 12 months of the first Air Jordan release. Michael Jordan has been one of the brand's lucrative collaborations. He himself has been compensated over $1 billion for his endorsements. Air Jordans are performance basketball sneakers with Air midsoles. In the '80s and '90s, almost everyone either had a pair of Air Jordans or wanted a pair. It was a status symbol.

4 Bestselling Nike Sneakers

Nike has had many bestselling shoes over the years with some of its models holding strong for decades. You can find Nike outlet sneakers on eBay at similar or lower prices.

Air Force 1

Designed in 1982, Air Force 1 has been a bestselling Nike model for decades. It's both a basketball sneaker and a style icon. Nike has released this model in many different versions, experimenting with colors and offering options in low, mid, and high. The sneakers feature Air midsoles, circular tread, and thick soles. Some models have reflective material to help make you more visible at night.

Air Jordan 1 Mid

According to the Nike store, the Air Jordan 1 Mid is still one of its bestselling sneakers. Air Jordan 1 Mids have a classic Nike design and come in many colorways. They're made of leather, a padded collar, and thick outsoles. Ventilation holes dot the toe.

Blazer

Nike Blazers became popular among skateboarders because Nike designed some of these versions for skateboarding. The skateboarding versions have SB in their name. They feature toe caps, Air Zoom cushioning, and herringbone tread. Regular Blazers don't have the toe caps. Those who put in a lot of hours into their skateboarding will want to check the Nike SB Blazer Mid XT. This version was used with even tougher materials to withstand the constant impact and abrasion from handling a skateboard.

Dunk

Nike Dunk was first released in 1985 and has gone through major changes over the years. They started off as a basketball shoe and evolved into skateboarding kicks. In 2020, Dunk experienced a boost of popularity, more than tripling its sales. The original Dunk was a combination of Air Jordan 1, The Legend, The Terminator, and Air Force 1.

Nike's Current Collaborations

Nike casts a wide net when it collaborates with others to offer sneakers for any type of enthusiast. Collaborations have included anime, ice cream brands, and celebrities.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish brought a new Air Force 1 to the market. It maintains the charm of the Air Force 1 while still offering a Billie-influenced design. She chose to use environmentally preferred materials and broad midstraps. The midstraps were inspired from Air Trainer 3 and Alpha Force Low, which are two of her favorite models. Eilish's Nike collab was released in April 2022.

Supreme

Supreme and Nike launched another collaboration in 2022. They redesigned Zoom Air Flight 95 and Dunk SB High. Bandanna prints catch the eye with Supreme's Zoom Air Flight 95. It comes in three different colorways: black, beige, and blue. Supreme's logo is on the tongues. The kicks also feature two-toned speckled laces and mesh material for the tongues.

The 2022 Supreme x Nike Dunk SB High features By Any Means stamped on the heel and three colorways. Your options in colorways are varsity maize/pine green/white, navy/red/white, and black/white/varsity red. The tongue tags are embroidered with distinct knitting. These limited edition sneakers were only available on Supreme's website, not Nike.com. You may be able to find people reselling them on eBay.

Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty collaborated with Nike in 2022 to create their version of Air Presto. The TPU cage heels are shaped like Hello Kitty, complete with the red bow. Blue knitted uppers contrast with the white heels. Hello Kitty designs also adorn the uppers. Red bows on the tongues are the finishing touch.

ACRONYM

ACRONYM, an independent design agency, worked with Nike to launch Blazer Lows. They are available in night maroon and black. The sneakers come with two removable TPU heel clips, which is a first for Blazer Low. Other notable design elements are graphics from the Japanese graphic artist NEFM and typography from David Rudnick.

Sneakers in Honor of Virgil Abloh

In honor of the late designer Virgil Abloh, Nike launched Off-White Blazer Low sneakers. Despite the name, they come in a black version as well as white. Because Abloh was passionate about mixing languages, Nike gave the shoes a multi-sport hybrid design. Other signature features include cheese cutouts, crisscross laces and distinct TPU heels.