Nike Brings Back Concept Cortez in Latest "Shoe Dog Pack"
From when Phil Knight was still choosing the company’s name.
Shortly after collaborating with Stranger Things on a pair of Cortez, the American footwear giant has looked back at its grassroots days of some of the initial design concepts of the silhouette that never really made it out, until now.
Dubbed “Shoe Dog Pack,” the latest set of sneakers takes aim at one chapter out of Phil Knight‘s memoir Shoe Dog, which details three design options Knight had to pick for the Cortez, all whilst working out the name of the company – featured is the “Nike,” “Falcon” and “Dimension Six.”
Graced with a slim, elongated Swoosh, the “Nike” highlights Carolyn Davidson’s debut Swoosh logo, embroidered in bright red on the lateral sides. The opposite side showcases the modernized check, in tonal white. Aptly titled as the “Falcon,” the model sees a large caricature of the bird stitched over the side, with contrasting gold trim etched at the top of the wings. The design was meant to represent agility and motion, and it also happened to be the most conceptual piece out of the three options. Incidentally, “Dimension Six” was actually Knight’s first choice. This model is reimagined with a vivid red circle at the center, framed by a single complementary blue stripe with the words “Dimension Six” lettered above. As a nod to the vintage concept pieces, each shoe is delicately finished with a single layer of leather fabric, reversed heel tab and a tongue made of exposed foam.
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Elsewhere, check out official imagery of Nike’s Kyrie 5 “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Patrick Star.”
