The Swoosh is the logo of American sportswear designer and retailer Nike . Today, it has become one of the most recognizable brand logos in the world, and the most valuable, having a worth of $ 26 billion alone.
83-420: Nike Air Max is a line of shoes produced by Nike, Inc. , with the first model released in 1987. Air Max shoes are identified by their midsoles incorporating flexible urethane pouches filled with pressurized gas, visible from the exterior of the shoe and intended to provide cushioning to the underfoot. Air Max was conceptualized by Tinker Hatfield , who initially worked for Nike designing stores. Air technology
166-486: A $ 12 billion share buyback, as well as a two-for-one stock split, with shares to begin trading at the decreased price on December 24. The split will be the seventh in company history. In June 2018, Nike announced it would initiate a $ 15 billion share buyback over four years, to begin in 2019 upon completion of the previous buyback program. For the fiscal year 2018, Nike reported earnings of US$ 1.933 billion, with annual revenue of US$ 36.397 billion, an increase of 6.0% over
249-593: A Bermudan subsidiary, Nike International Ltd. This transfer allowed the subsidiary to charge royalties to its European headquarters in Hilversum , Netherlands , effectively converting taxable company profits to an account payable in tax-free Bermuda . Although the subsidiary was effectively run by executives at Nike's main offices in Beaverton, Oregon—to the point where a duplicate of the Bermudan company's seal
332-624: A New York based company focused on digital sales and machine learning technology. Nike was made a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2013, when it replaced Alcoa . On December 19, 2013, Nike's quarterly profit rose due to a 13 percent increase in global orders for merchandise since April of that year. Future orders of shoes or clothes for delivery between December and April, rose to $ 10.4 billion. Nike shares (NKE) rose 0.6 percent to $ 78.75 in extended trading. In November 2015, Nike announced it would initiate
415-594: A VaporMax sole with the upper design of an older Air Max shoe such as the Air Max 95, 97, and 360. The shoe was originally released on 1 February 2018. It was named "270" for the 270 degrees of visibility in the Air unit around the shoe, and was inspired by the Air Max 93 and 180 shoes. It also was the tallest Air unit to ever be released at the time, measuring 32 mm. One year after the Air Max 270, Nike debuted their second Air unit to be designed for lifestyle purposes with
498-466: A basketball shoe by Tracy Teague, it was inspired by professional basketball player Charles Barkley . The visual design of the Air Max 95 was created by Sergio Lozano, who based the design on the human anatomy, with the spine of the shoe resembling the human spine and the materials intended to represent skin, ribs, and tendons. The Air Max 95 was the first pair in the line to utilize two air cushions in
581-440: A combination of groundbreaking innovations including a full-length air cushioned sole, an external heel counter, a crashpad in the heel for shock absorption, and Fit Frame technology for a stable fit. In 2023, Nike told ESPN that it would cease using kangaroo skins in its products by the end of that year and debut "a new Nike-only, proprietary synthetic upper, [with] a new material that is a better performance solution and replaces
664-426: A distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger , making most sales at track meets out of Knight's automobile. According to Otis Davis , a University of Oregon student-athlete coached by Bowerman and Olympic gold medalist at the 1960 Summer Olympics , his coach made the first pair of Nike shoes for him, contradicting a claim that they were made for Phil Knight. According to Davis, "I told Tom Brokaw that I
747-569: A gray water treatment center. Nike is mainly owned by institutional investors, who hold around 68% of all shares. The 10 largest shareholders of Nike in early 2024 were: Nike has contracted with more than 700 shops around the world and has offices located in 45 countries outside the United States. Most of the factories are located in Asia, including Indonesia, China, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Philippines, and Malaysia. Nike
830-565: A journalism major but switched to design after taking a design course to "fill an empty elective." She attained a bachelor in graphic design in 1971. It was here that she met Phil Knight, who was at the time teaching accounting classes at the university. Knight had overheard that Davidson was in search of extra funds for her to take oil painting classes, so he offered to pay Davidson to do some freelance work for his company, then they named Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Knight offered to pay Davidson $ 2 per hour (equivalent to $ 15 per hour in 2023) for
913-686: A lawsuit against MSCHF. MSCHF had previously released "Jesus Shoes", a range of white Air Max 97 shoes which contained "60cc of holy water from the River Jordan ". Released in 1998, the Air Max Plus introduced Nike's Tuned Air system (TN), and as such became retrospectively known as the Air Max TN, Air Max Tuned, or Air Max Tuned 1 (TN1). Designed by Sean McDowell, the Air Max Plus featured transverse waves inspired by palm trees, and
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#1732791198790996-451: A prominent arch shank inspired by a whale tail. The initial release featured a "Hyper Blue" colorway, characterized by a fading blue airbrush effect. The Nike swoosh had a slightly irregular appearance as a border was added along the inner edge, as opposed to the outer surface. When talking about the design in an interview with mint. McDowell said “The Air Max Plus 1 almost never happened. The executives at Footlocker didn’t like it very much. It
1079-489: A regional early release were known as Quickstrikes , and became highly desirable items for teenage members of the sneakerhead subculture . By the 1990s and 2000s , American and European teenagers associated with the preppy or popular clique began combining these sneakers, leggings , sweatpants, crop tops , and tracksuits with regular casual chic street clothes such as jeans, skirts, leg warmers , slouch socks , and bomber jackets . Particularly popular were
1162-535: A running shoe. Designed by Christian Tresser, its look was said to be inspired by high-speed Japanese bullet trains and alternatively the titanium metal frames on mountain bikes . Introduced in a metallic "Silver Bullet" colorway, it had a nearly full-length visible air unit, and the uppers featured a hidden lacing system and three lines made from Scotchlite. The Air Max 97 retailed at $ 150, about $ 10 more than its predecessor. It enjoyed much popularity in Italy, where it
1245-571: A shape inspired by the wings of the Greek goddess Nike. "Well, I don't love it", Knight told her, "but maybe it will grow on me." Once the choice was made, Davidson asked for more time to refine the work she had done on the Swoosh; however, Knight stated that the company had production deadlines to meet and needed the logo as soon as possible. For her services, the company paid her $ 35 (equivalent to $ 263 in 2023) citing that she worked 17.5 hours on creating
1328-478: A status symbol in modern urban fashion and hip-hop fashion due to its association with success in sport. Beginning in the 1980s, various items of Nike clothing became staples of mainstream American youth fashion , especially tracksuits, shell suits , baseball caps , Air Jordans , Air Force 1's, and Air Max running shoes with thick, air cushioned rubber soles and contrasting blue, yellow, green, white, or red trim. Limited edition sneakers and prototypes with
1411-742: Is "squishier, bouncier, and lighter" than foams in typical running shoes. In the middle of the ZoomX foam there is a full-length carbon fiber plate "designed to generate extra spring in every step". At the time of this writing Nike had just released its newest product from the Vaporfly line, the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, which was marketed as "the fastest shoe we’ve ever made" using Nike's "two most innovative technologies, Nike ZoomX foam and VaporWeave material". The Nike brand, with its distinctive " Swoosh " logo, quickly became regarded as
1494-539: Is 3000 yuan per month. The factory employs 70,000 people. This practice was in place for nearly 20 years. On November 5, 2017, the Paradise Papers , a set of confidential electronic documents relating to offshore investment , revealed that Nike is among the corporations that used offshore companies to avoid taxes. Appleby documents detail how Nike boosted its after-tax profits by, among other maneuvers, transferring ownership of its Swoosh trademark to
1577-494: Is an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon , United States. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment , with revenue in excess of US$ 46 billion in its fiscal year 2022. The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as "Blue Ribbon Sports", by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight , and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company takes its name from Nike ,
1660-1035: Is hesitant to disclose information about the contract companies it works with. However, due to harsh criticism from some organizations like CorpWatch, Nike has disclosed information about its contract factories in its Corporate Governance Report. In the 1990s, Nike received criticism for its use of sweatshops . Beginning in 1990, many protests occurred in big cities such as Los Angeles, Washington, DC and Boston in order to show public outcry for Nike's use of child labor and sweatshops. Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories (known as Nike sweatshops ) in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. Vietnam Labor Watch, an activist group, has documented that factories contracted by Nike have violated minimum wage and overtime laws in Vietnam as late as 1996, although Nike claims that this practice has been stopped. As of July 2011, Nike stated that two-thirds of its factories producing Converse products still do not meet
1743-604: Is meant to exemplify passion, energy, and joy, while the white color represents nobility, charm and purity. Until 1995, the official Nike corporate logo for Nike featured the name "NIKE" in Futura Bold, all-caps font, cradled within the Swoosh. One of the most recognized logos in the world, the Nike brand was valued at $ 26 billion in 2015. Nike spends about 10% of its annual revenue on advertising and promotions. Harvard Business School professor Stephen A. Greyser has described
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#17327911987901826-617: Is not being used. In 2001, a BBC documentary uncovered occurrences of child labor and poor working conditions in a Cambodian factory used by Nike. The documentary focused on six girls, who all worked seven days a week, often 16 hours a day. In April 2014, one of the biggest strikes in mainland China took place at the Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings Dongguan shoe factory, producing amongst others for Nike. Yue Yuen did underpay an employee by 250 yuan (40.82 US Dollars) per month. The average salary at Yue Yuen
1909-499: Is represented as a woman with wings dressed in a flowing robe, with a wreath in her outstretched hand. To represent her role as the messenger of victory, she is shown with the staff of Hermes . In Athens , the statue of Nike is portrayed without wings and is called Nike Apteron (Wingless Victory). Nike's wings were removed from the statue so she would not fly away, as the Athenians believed doing so would indicate her permanent stay in
1992-504: Is specifically barred from forcibly annexing the land that Nike and Columbia Sportswear occupy in Washington County for 35 years, while Electro Scientific Industries and Tektronix receive the same protection for 30 years. Nike is planning to build a 3.2 million square foot expansion to its World Headquarters in Beaverton. The design will target LEED Platinum certification and will be highlighted by natural daylight, and
2075-469: Is to provide superior cushioning to traditional foam while also reducing weight. The design originated from the company wanting to implement bigger air units in the sole but not being able to cover them up properly like previous models. The effectiveness of the technology for this purpose is disputed; nevertheless, the shoes enjoy consistent popularity, especially among sneaker enthusiasts and collectors . The size, design, and number of air units varies within
2158-401: The Air Max , the Air Max 1 was the first shoe ever to employ Max Air technology. It was marketed for running, which would continue to be the case for new Air Max designs until 2018's Air Max 270. Its upper was composed of nylon and synthetic felt, with a leather version being released in 1988. The Air Max 1 continues to enjoy significant popularity with sneaker enthusiasts, and Nike re-releases
2241-405: The Air Max 720 . As opposed to the heel-only 270 Air unit, the 720 Air unit extends under the forefoot, and is also taller than the 270 by 6 mm. New colours of the Air Max 720 and additional designs based on its Air unit, including the basketball-inspired Air Max 720 SATRN and a hybrid based on the retro Air More up-tempo, continue to be released. The Air Max DN , a groundbreaking addition to
2324-490: The Air Max III until 2000, when it was reissued taking its name from the year of its launch. The original colourway of white/black/cool grey with infrared was chosen to exaggerate the thickness of the sole air cushion. The upper featured Duromesh, synthetic felt and synthetic leather. Nike specially designed a pair of Nike Air Max 90s for President George H. W. Bush . Images of the customized sneakers have been seen around
2407-788: The Nike+ product that monitors a runner's performance via a radio device in the shoe that links to the iPod nano . While the product generates useful statistics, it has been criticized by researchers who were able to identify users' RFID devices from 60 feet (18 m) away using small, concealable intelligence motes in a wireless sensor network . In 2004, Nike launched the SPARQ Training Program /Division. Some of Nike's newest shoes contain Flywire and Lunarlite Foam to reduce weight. The Air Zoom Vomero running shoe, introduced in 2006 and currently in its 11th generation, featured
2490-531: The 2000s. It sold Starter in 2007 and Bauer Hockey in 2008. The company sold Umbro in 2012 and Cole Haan in 2013. As of 2020, Nike owns only one subsidiary: Converse Inc. Nike acquired Zodiac, a consumer data analytics company, in March 2018. In August 2019, the company acquired Celect, a Boston-based predictive analytics company. In December 2021, Nike purchased RTFKT Studios, a virtual shoe company that makes NFTs. In February 2021, Nike acquired Datalogue,
2573-462: The Air Force 180 sneaker. Released in 1993 as the Air Max 270 , the Air Max 93 introduced a 270-degree air unit and colored air units to the range. Nike employed a new manufacturing processes to provide the larger and more exposed air unit greater protection. The upper featured a more sock-like fit derived from 1991's Air Huarache sneaker. The Air Max2 CB 94 was released in 1994. Designed as
Nike Air Max - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-407: The Air Max 90, Air Max 95, and Air Max 97. For this special release, the design of the 360 sole was used in place of the normal sole of the three classics. The shoes were released in the three original colors: red for the Air Max 90, green/yellow for the Air Max 95, and grey/silver for the Air Max 97. The Air VaporMax released in March 2017, and was the first Air Max shoe to use no foam or rubber in
2739-475: The Department of Nike Archives, and feature AIR PRES branding along with what appears to be a unique colorway. Released in 1991 as Air Classic BW and also known as Air Max IV , the "BW" in the name stood for "Big Window" which was due to the bigger air unit in the sole of the shoe. Released in 1991, the Air Max 180 featured a larger air unit visible through the outsole. The technology was later used in
2822-676: The Dunk Genesis Cryptokicks collection, which features over 20,000 NFTs. One design by Takashi Murakami was sold for $ 134,000 in April 2022. Nike's world headquarters are surrounded by the city of Beaverton but are within unincorporated Washington County . The city attempted to forcibly annex Nike's headquarters, which led to a lawsuit by Nike, and lobbying by the company that ultimately ended in Oregon Senate Bill 887 of 2005. Under that bill's terms, Beaverton
2905-573: The East Coast, in Wellesley, Massachusetts . In 1971, Bowerman used his wife's waffle iron to experiment on rubber to create a new sole for track shoes that would grip but be lightweight and increase the runner's speed. Oregon's Hayward Field was transitioning to an artificial surface, and Bowerman wanted a sole which could grip to grass or bark dust without the use of spikes. Bowerman was talking to his wife about this puzzle over breakfast, when
2988-449: The Greek goddess of victory. Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+ , Nike Blazers , Air Force 1 , Nike Dunk , Air Max , Foamposite, Nike Skateboarding , Nike CR7, and subsidiaries including Air Jordan and Converse . Nike also owned Bauer Hockey from 1995 to 2008, and previously owned Cole Haan , Umbro , and Hurley International . In addition to manufacturing sportswear and equipment,
3071-923: The Nike 6.0, Nike NYX, and Nike SB shoes, designed for skateboarding. Nike has recently introduced cricket shoes called Air Zoom Yorker, designed to be 30% lighter than their competitors'. In 2008, Nike introduced the Air Jordan XX3, a high-performance basketball shoe designed with the environment in mind. Nike's range of products include shoes, jerseys, shorts, cleats , baselayers , etc. for sports activities such as soccer, basketball, track and field, combat sports , tennis, American football , athletics, golf, ice hockey , and cross training for men, women, and children. Nike also sells shoes for activities such as skateboarding , baseball, cycling, volleyball, wrestling , cheerleading , lacrosse , cricket , aquatic activities, auto racing, and other athletic and recreational uses. Nike partnered with Apple Inc. to produce
3154-571: The Nike brand was valued at $ 29.6 billion. Nike ranked 89th in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. The company ranked 239th in the Forbes Global 2000 companies in 2024. Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), was founded by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his coach, Bill Bowerman , on January 25, 1964. The company initially operated in Eugene , Oregon as
3237-567: The Nike logo. Runner Jeff Johnson was brought in to help market the new brand and was credited for coining the name “Nike”. It would bear the Swoosh newly designed by Carolyn Davidson . The Swoosh was first used by Nike on June 18, 1971, and was registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on January 22, 1974. In 1976, the company hired John Brown and Partners, based in Seattle, as its first advertising agency . The following year,
3320-550: The Swoosh, although Davidson said that she is certain she worked more hours on the design. The Swoosh was officially trademarked on June 18, 1971 and in June 1972, at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon , Nike's first official track shoe, the Nike Cortez , was released to the athletes sporting the new Swoosh. Davidson continued working for Blue Ribbon Sports (it officially became Nike, Inc. in 1972) until
3403-437: The Swoosh. The Swoosh has appeared alongside the trademark "Just Do It" since 1988. Together, these two make up the core of Nike's brand, and has been the face of the company, with many high-profile athletes and sports teams around the world sporting the logos. The Nike Swoosh corporate trademark was created in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson while she was a graphic design student at Portland State University. Davidson started as
Nike Air Max - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-487: The agency created the first "brand ad" for Nike, called "There is no finish line", in which no Nike product was shown. By 1980, Nike had attained a 50% market share in the U.S. athletic shoe market, and the company went public in December of that year. Wieden+Kennedy , Nike's primary ad agency, has worked with Nike to create many print and television advertisements, and Wieden+Kennedy remains Nike's primary ad agency. It
3569-474: The city. A sculpture of Nike at Ephesus is said to contain the Swoosh in the flowing dress, but there is no evidence this is the origin of the design. In 2006, Lorillard (the previous owner of Newport) and Nike sued graphic designer Ari Saal Forman after he released his Ari Menthol 10s shoes, which combined the design of the Nike Air Force 1 with Newport's spinnaker and colors. According to Forman,
3652-472: The company adopted the Swoosh as its official logo the same year. Carolyn Davidson , a student at Portland State University during the time Knight taught there, created the logo, attempting to convey motion in its design. The logo has undergone minor changes from its original design in 1971, today most commonly seen as a solo swoosh, although for much of its history, the logo incorporated the NIKE name alongside
3735-476: The company on June 30, 2016. In a company public announcement on March 15, 2018, Nike CEO Mark Parker said Trevor Edwards, a top Nike executive who was seen as a potential successor to the chief executive, was relinquishing his position as Nike's brand president and would retire in August. In October 2019, John Donahoe was announced as the next CEO, and succeeded Parker on January 13, 2020. In November 2019,
3818-465: The company operates retail stores under the Niketown name. Nike sponsors many high-profile athletes and sports teams around the world, with the highly recognized trademarks of " Just Do It " and the Swoosh logo. As of 2024, it employed 83,700 people worldwide. In 2020, the brand alone was valued in excess of $ 32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses. Previously, in 2017,
3901-693: The company stopped selling directly through Amazon , focusing more on direct relationships with customers. Nike has acquired and sold several apparel and footwear companies over the course of its history. Its first acquisition was the upscale footwear company Cole Haan in 1988, followed by the purchase of Bauer Hockey in 1994. In 2002, Nike bought surf apparel company Hurley International from founder Bob Hurley. In 2003, Nike paid US$ 309 million to acquire sneaker company Converse . The company acquired Starter in 2004 and soccer uniform maker Umbro in 2007. In order to refocus its business lines, Nike began divesting itself of some of its subsidiaries in
3984-680: The company's standards for worker treatment. A July 2011 Associated Press article stated that employees at the company's plants in Indonesia reported constant abuse from supervisors. During the 1990s, Nike faced criticism for the use of child labor in Cambodia and Pakistan in factories it contracted to manufacture soccer balls. Although Nike took action to curb or at least reduce the practice, they continue to contract their production to companies that operate in areas where inadequate regulation and monitoring make it hard to ensure that child labor
4067-409: The design demands of the growing company exceeded one person's capacity. In 1976, the company hired its first external advertising agency, John Brown and Partners, and Davidson went on to work on other clients' needs. In September 1983, Knight gave Davidson a golden Swoosh ring with an embedded diamond and 500 shares of Nike stock (which have since split into 32,000 shares) to express his gratitude. Of
4150-429: The forefoot and used air pressure technology to fit the curvature of the wearer's forefoot. The first colorway was black, neon yellow and white. Neon yellow was used to emphasize the multiple air units. The shoe also introduced a smaller Nike swoosh minimized in the rear side panel. Original releases featured a "25 PSI" air pressure reading on the rear air unit. Uppers also featured 3M Scotchlite material. The product
4233-577: The gift, Davidson says, "this was something rather special for Phil to do, because I originally billed him and he paid that invoice." Davidson went on to be known as "The Logo Lady". She said that she is not a millionaire but lives comfortably. Davidson retired in 2000 and now engages in hobbies and volunteer work, including at the Ronald McDonald House at Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center in Oregon . Nike co-founder Phil Knight
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#17327911987904316-505: The iconic Air Max line, was introduced on Air Max Day, March 26, 2024. This launch not only celebrated the 10th anniversary of Air Max Day but also marked the debut of Nike's future-forward Air technology called Dynamic Air. Priced at $ 160 for adult sizes, the Nike Air Max DN was made available in various colorways, including the standout "All Night" version, across Nike.com and its retail channels for both adults and youth. The line
4399-510: The intellectual property from the Bermudan company to a Dutch commanditaire vennootschap or limited partnership, Nike Innovate CV. Dutch law treats income earned by a CV as if it had been earned by the principals, who owe no tax in the Netherlands if they do not reside there. Swoosh Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Nike on January 25, 1964, as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Upon changing its name to Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971,
4482-565: The largest athlete endorsement deals in sports history. Nike is the winged goddess of victory in Greek mythology , who sat at the side of Zeus in Olympus. Nike is said to have presided over history's earliest battlefields as she flew around rewarding the victors with glory and fame, symbolized by a wreath of leaves. She was often found next to the goddess of wisdom, Athena, who is said to never put up with defeat. In statues and paintings Nike
4565-887: The last words spoken by Gary Gilmore before he was executed. Nike manufactured its first uniforms for a professional sports team in 1979 when its jersey for the Portland Timbers of the North American Soccer League debuted. Throughout the 1980s, Nike expanded its product line to encompass many sports and regions throughout the world. In 1990, Nike moved into its eight-building World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, Oregon. The first Nike retail store, dubbed Niketown, opened in downtown Portland in November of that year. Phil Knight announced in mid-2015 that he would step down as chairman of Nike in 2016. He officially stepped down from all duties with
4648-474: The latter attempted a takeover of BRS by extending an ultimatum proposal that would give the Japanese company 51 percent of BRS. In 1972, the relationship between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger came to an end. BRS prepared to launch its own line of footwear. The previous year, it was already able to place from two Japanese shoe manufacturers the company's first independent order for 20,000, which included 6,000 that had
4731-607: The logo as "the living, vibrant symbol of the firm". Nike has prominently featured the Swoosh logo in its advertising. The endorsements of Romanian tennis player Ilie Năstase and distance runner Steve Prefontaine kicked off Nike's brand sponsorships; today hundreds of athletes endorse the company. Nike's contracts with Michael Jordan , LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in basketball , Shane Warne (until 2001) in cricket , Cathy Freeman in athletics , Cristiano Ronaldo in football , Tiger Woods in golf , and Roger Federer (until 2018) and Rafael Nadal in tennis are among
4814-471: The mid-1990s the line, particularly the Air Max 95, experienced such a surge of popularity in Japan that it led to a phenomenon known as "Air Max hunting". The extremely inflated prices of the shoes led to a rash of muggings in the normally-peaceful country wherein Air Max wearers were attacked and their shoes were stolen. Even used shoes were in demand, and fakes also became a problem. Released in 1987 as simply
4897-457: The midsole or outsole. It discarded a traditional midsole/outsole design and in place used several entirely hollow air pouches, not connected to one another and positioned in different areas in accordance with where the wearer's foot would naturally strike. The VaporMax sole itself has not been significantly innovated upon since its initial release, but original shoes using the sole design continue to be released, including several "hybrids" which fuse
4980-641: The model with original and new exterior designs ("colorways") on a regular basis. In 2023, the Air Max 1 '86 "Big Bubble" was introduced. This variation celebrated the model's 35th anniversary with a design inspired by early prototypes. Released in 1989 as the Air Max II , the Air Max Light weighed less than the original, achieved by replacing the forefoot polyurethane midsole with one made of EVA foam . Re-released in 2007, Nike has continued to release additional colorways. Released in 1990 and known as
5063-643: The previous fiscal cycle. Nike's shares traded at over $ 72 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over US$ 114.5 billion in October 2018. In February 2020, the company said that roughly 75% of Nike stores in Greater China had closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In March 2020, Nike reported a 5% drop in Chinese sales associated with stores' closure. It was the first decrease in six years. At
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#17327911987905146-406: The product line; the "retro" Air Max 1 simply includes one small unit under the heel, while in the contemporary Air VaporMax, effectively the entire midsole is composed of air units with no conventional foam present. The line of sneakers is popular amongst many subcultures, for example hip hop and gabber . Certain Air Max models are coveted among foot , sneaker and sportswear fetishists . In
5229-507: The same time, the company's online sales grew by 36% during Q1 of 2020. Also, the sales of personal training apps grew by 80% in China. Nike produces a wide range of sports equipment and apparel. Their first products were track running shoes. Nike Air Max is a line of shoes first released by Nike, Inc. in 1987. Additional product lines were introduced later, such as Air Huarache, which debuted in 1992. The most recent additions to their line are
5312-666: The shoes featured in Back to the Future Part II , it had a preliminary limited release, only available by auction with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation . This was done again in 2016. Nike have introduced a premium line, focused more on streetwear than sports wear called NikeLab. In March 2017, Nike announced its launch of a plus-size clothing line, which will feature new sizes 1X through 3X on more than 200 products. Another significant development at this time
5395-455: The shoes were "dedicated to the two brands who have taken the most and given the least." As a result of the lawsuit, Forman is not legally allowed to own a pair of Menthol 10s. In 2021, Nike sued the art collective MSCHF for the " Satan Shoes ", a modified version of Nike Air Max 97 with explicitly Satanic imagery. Nike claimed trademark infringement and that its brand was being erroneously linked to Satanism. A US district judge ruled that
5478-462: The sole plus a moisture wicking upper weave. Later, Nike Elite socks became available in bright colors inspired by throwback basketball uniforms , often with contrasting bold abstract designs, images of celebrities, and freehand digital print to capitalise upon the emerging nostalgia for 1990s fashion . In 2015, a new self-lacing shoe was introduced. Called the Nike Mag , which are replicas of
5561-451: The stripe conveyed motion and did not look similar to the three stripes of Adidas . Over the ensuing weeks, she created at least a half-dozen marks and gathered them together to present to Knight, Bob Woodell and Jeff Johnson (two BRS executives) at the company's home office, at the time, it was located in Tigard, Oregon . They ultimately selected the mark now known globally as the Swoosh,
5644-422: The unisex spandex Nike Tempo compression shorts worn for cycling and running, which had a mesh lining, waterproofing, and, later in the 2000s, a zip pocket for a Walkman or MP3 player . From the late 2000s into the 2010s, Nike Elite basketball socks began to be worn as everyday clothes by hip-hop fans and young children. Originally plain white or black, these socks had special shock absorbing cushioning in
5727-569: The use of kangaroo leather." The Nike Vaporfly first came out in 2017 and their popularity, along with its performance, prompted a new series of running shoes. The Vaporfly series has a new technological composition that has revolutionized long-distance running since studies have shown that these shoes can improve marathon race time up to 4.2%. The composition of the sole contains a foamy material, Pebax, that Nike has altered and now calls it ZoomX (which can be found in other Nike products as well). Pebax foam can also be found in airplane insulation and
5810-456: The waffle iron idea came into play. Bowerman's design led to the introduction of the "Moon Shoe" in 1972, so named because the waffle tread was said to resemble the footprints left by astronauts on the Moon. Further refinement resulted in the "Waffle Trainer" in 1974, which helped fuel the explosive growth of Blue Ribbon Sports/Nike. Tension between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger increased in 1971 as
5893-550: The work that she completed. For seven years after its founding in 1964, BRS primarily imported Onitsuka Tiger brand running shoes from Japan . In 1971, Knight decided to launch his own brand of shoes, which would first appear as cleated shoes for football or soccer, and had a factory in Mexico ready to make the shoes. All Knight needed was a "stripe"—the industry term for a shoe logo—to go with his new brand, so he approached Davidson for design ideas. He had asked Davidson to make sure
5976-470: The youth gang culture known locally as Eshays , and wearers have been banned from some pubs and clubs due to the Eshay subculture surrounding the shoe. On January 21, 2006, Nike launched the Air Max 360 , a new shoe design that utilized Max Air throughout the shoe's midsole. In September 2006 Nike introduced a special 'one time only pack' which fused the 360 model with three classics. The three shoes used were
6059-566: Was Miles Nadal , a Canadian investor and car collector, who had just paid $ 850,000 for a group of 99 rare of limited collection pairs of sport shoes. The purchase price was the highest for one pair of sneakers, the previous record being $ 190,373 in 2017 for a pair of signed Converse shoes in California, said to have been worn by Michael Jordan during the 1984 basketball final of the Olympics that year. After acquiring RTFKT, Nike launched
6142-415: Was adamant that his company's new logo be a simple design that is fluid and conveys motion and speed. The logo is also said to symbolize the wing of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike . When first released, the design was displayed in a variety of colors to stand out on the track from other shoe manufacturers. Nike primarily used the red and white color palette on its logo for much of its history. The red
6225-494: Was agency co-founder Dan Wieden who coined the now-famous slogan " Just Do It " for a 1988 Nike ad campaign, which was chosen by Advertising Age as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century and enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution . Walt Stack was featured in Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement, which debuted on July 1, 1988. Wieden credits the inspiration for the slogan to "Let's do it",
6308-501: Was first used by Nike when M. Frank Rudy , an aeronautical engineer, approached them with the idea and design in 1977. The first shoe to implement the technology would be the Nike Air Tailwind in 1978. As the name indicates, all Air Max shoes feature one or more translucent pouches of pressurized gas embedded in the midsole and visible from the outside of the shoe. Referred to as "Air units" or "airbags," their stated purpose
6391-612: Was initially advertised in 1987 with a TV campaign that used the Beatles ' song " Revolution ", the first time a Beatles song had been used in a TV commercial. The following year, Nike used the Just Do It slogan. They were also endorsed by Bo Jackson in exchange for a $ 100,000 fee, with advertising agency Wieden and Kennedy coming up with the slogan "Bo knows...". Since 2014, March 26 has been declared by Nike as Air Max Day . Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. (stylized as NIKE )
6474-516: Was needed—for tax purposes the subsidiary was treated as Bermuda. Its profits were not declared in Europe and came to light only because of a mostly unrelated case in US Tax Court, where papers filed by Nike briefly mention royalties in 2010, 2011 and 2012 totaling $ 3.86 billion. Under an arrangement with Dutch authorities, the tax break was to expire in 2014, so another reorganization transferred
6557-475: Was re-released in 2007 for its 10th anniversary. In 2017, Nike marked the 20th anniversary of the Air Max 97 by releasing many colorways and collaborations. In March 2021, musician Lil Nas X collaborated with viral marketing company MSCHF to release " Satan Shoes ", which were black Nike Air Max 97 shoes with satanic theming and created with "1 drop of human blood". The shoes were limited to 666 pairs, and caused controversy upon release, leading to Nike issuing
6640-404: Was referenced in the hip hop song " Hate It or Love It " by The Game , which was a worldwide top 10 hit in 2005. Also referenced by rappers Gucci Mane in the single "Bricks" and Waka Flocka Flame on the track "Head First" in his 2009 mixtape, "Lebron Flocka James". The rapper Eminem designed a limited-edition range of Air Maxes sold for charity. The Air Max 97 was first released in 1997 as
6723-509: Was the Chuck Taylor All-Star Modern , an update of the classic basketball sneaker that incorporated the circular knit upper and cushioned foam sole of Nike's Air Jordans. On July 23, 2019, a pair of Nike Inc. running shoes sold for $ 437,500 at a Sotheby's auction. The so-called "Moon Shoes" were designed by Nike co-founder and track coach Bill Bowerman for runners participating in the 1972 Olympics trials. The buyer
6806-684: Was the first. I don't care what all the billionaires say. Bill Bowerman made the first pair of shoes for me. People don't believe me. In fact, I didn't like the way they felt on my feet. There was no support and they were too tight. But I saw Bowerman made them from the waffle iron , and they were mine". In its first year in business, BRS sold 1,300 pairs of Japanese running shoes grossing $ 8,000. By 1965, sales had reached $ 20,000. In 1966, BRS opened its first retail store at 3107 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California . In 1967, due to increasing sales, BRS expanded retail and distribution operations on
6889-682: Was too progressive and scared the 40-50 year old white men.” Although the shoe only had modest success in North America, in Europe they were massively popular—particularly in France, where the Plus grew to enjoy iconic status among youth culture in Paris and Marseille , with the nickname Le Requin ("The Shark"). Australia was another major market for the Air Max Plus—the shoe became popular with
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