About Nike Kicks

Companies like Nike make a cultural impact.

Nike started as the brainchild of a track coach and runner, only to grow into one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world. The cultural impact of the company, from its basketball sponsorships to its impact on hip-hop, is tremendous. From its very first track shoe to the most recent Air Jordan kicks, Nike has grown leaps and bounds, and changed the way we look at athletic shoes.

History

Nike began as a project for and by runners.

Nike began with a partnership between track coach Bill Bowerman and runner Phil Knight. Frustrated with the shoes being sold in the United States, Knight ordered running shoes from Japan, which he sold out of his trunk. Bowerman, meanwhile, tore the shoes apart and modified them, hoping to create the perfect running shoe. Portland State University graphic design major Carolyn Davidson created a simple logo for the pair: the Swoosh. A young runner named Steve Prefontaine took to the shoes, and helped popularize them in the track world.

Nike and Basketball

Nike revolutionized the basketball shoe.

In the post-running-shoe boom world, Nike found itself adrift. In 1984, the company signed a contract with NBA rookie Michael Jordan, for whom Nike created a signature shoe. The NBA forbade Jordan from wearing the sneakers, on account of their flashy design and bold colors, but Michael wore them anyway, despite being fined $5,000 a game. The Air Jordans would, through their various incarnations, go on to redefine the shoe industry, basketball sneakers, and the relationship between athletes and sponsorship. Nike has since gone on to sponsor countless NBA stars, from legends like Charles Barkley to contemporary greats Kobe Bryant and Lebron James.

Nike and Hip-Hop

There's a strong connection between Nike and hip-hop.

"I'm a Nike head," Nas proclaimed on his classic 1994 hip-hop track "Halftime." The relationship between hip-hop and Nike has been long and bountiful. Midwest MC Nelly has two entire songs about Nike: "Air Force One," in which he proclaims "Give me two pairs!" and "Stepped on My Jays," a playful narrative about a man fraught with dismay after his brand new Jays (read: Air Jordans) are inadvertently stepped on.

Design Your Own Shoes

Design your shoe with the NIKEiD project.

The NIKEiD project allows consumers to create their own Nike shoe. First, choose a design. The designs for NIKEiD range from 2010's Cristiano Ronaldo-backed soccer shoe Mercurial to classic high top and Air Jordan designs. In addition to the skeleton of the shoe, NIKEiD guides consumers through choices in color, logo (with the Mercurial, for instance, designers can choose national flags in anticipation of the 2010 World Cup), and size specifics such as width.

Human Rights Issues

Nike has been accused of employing children overseas.

Nike has suffered through a number of human rights-based controversies over the years. In April 2010, the University of Wisconsin-Madison canceled its contract with Nike. University Chancellor Biddy Martin issued the following statement: "Nike has not developed, and does not intend to develop, meaningful ways of addressing the plight of displaced workers and their families in Honduras." Elsewhere, from a 2001 "Independent" (UK) article on Nike: "The multibillion dollar sportswear company Nike admitted yesterday that it 'blew it' by employing children in Third World countries."

References

• Nike: History
• Sneaker Head: History of the Air Jordan Brand
• Nike: Basketball
• Common Dreams: Nike Admits to Mistakes Over Child Labor
• Associated Press: University of Wisconsin Cuts Ties With Nike Over Labor Concerns

Resources

• NIKEiD: Design Your Shoe