Nike Cortez Sales Fail to Overtake adidas Superstar & Stan Smith
The Three Stripes eyes Nike’s throne.
Nike really wanted 2017 to be the Year of the Cortez. This year alone, the Swoosh released dozens of colorways and textural updates, including a nod to Compton, a tribute to its hometown, a Cortez honoring a running legend, a collaboration with Mister Cartoon, and even signed Kendrick Lamar away from Reebok with a signature Cortez. Unfortunately, the sales just didn’t align, according to The Business of Fashion.
While adidas posted positive sales growth, Nike’s sales dropped and the German upstart claimed the #2 spot over Jordan Brand. To overcome the Superstar and Stan Smith — two of the best-selling sneakers of the past few years — Nike decided to bring back the Cortez in a big way. However, according to analysts and retailers, “Cortez sales this year have been ‘very minor.’” CEO Mark Parker didn’t speak about the retro kicks in the company’s recent Investor Day, instead of looking towards 3D printing similar innovations to help hit the company’s forecasted $50 billion in sales.
Check out the entire piece here. Nike has had some difficulties with recent drops, issuing an apology for the SNKRS-hosted “The Ten” drop and canceling Sean Wotherspoon’s Air Max 97/1 hybrid sneaker release in Virginia.
