Nike Blazer

Blazer

Nike’s first entry into the basketball market came in 1973 when they released the Nike Blazer. At its core, the design incorporated a leather upper whose plain white surface was the perfect place to showcase the young brand’s logo, which had only been created two years earlier. NBA players considered this basketball trainer to be a superior product because of its tough but breathable latticed nylon tongue and high traction vulcanised rubber tread. Meanwhile, its minimalist look created one of the most enduring shoe designs of all time, which to this day retains its sleek, modern aesthetic.

Despite its name being given in honour of Nike’s local NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers, its popularity was aided by the famous San Antonio Spurs player George “The Iceman” Gervin, who chose the Blazer because of its high quality build and inventive use of cutting edge technology. His personal shoe had his nickname printed on the heel instead of the usual Nike branding. It did, however, have the distinctive Nike swoosh prominently displayed down the sides, with Gervin’s endorsement propelling the Blazer and the brand to national prominence. Though the Iceman Blazer was never released to the public, the agreement was, in all likelihood, one of the first player exclusive arrangements in history. It was a brilliant move as it laid the foundation for future collaborations, including Nike’s legendary partnership with Michael Jordan, which came more than a decade later.

When the Nike Blazer was first released, it was the height of basketball technological innovation. However, as the years went by, Nike began to focus their efforts on other models and newer technologies. As more advanced basketball shoes began to enter the market, the Blazer slowly faded from the limelight. But that didn’t mean it was finished. In fact, it was later to be adopted by an altogether separate culture, changing the course of its history.

That culture was skateboarding. During the 90s, members of the skating community found that the Blazer’s high-friction rubber sole, which had been designed to grip onto hardwood courts, provided excellent stability on a skateboard as well. Its tough leather exterior allowed them to perform an array of expressive tricks without the shoe falling apart. In line with the humble skater ethos, the sneaker had a no-frills feel to it that suited the culture perfectly. In 2005, Nike built on this by developing the Nike SB Blazer in partnership with Lance Mountain. This skateboard-specific Blazer introduced Zoom Air technology in the sole and a padded tongue to help absorb the repeated impacts of the skater lifestyle. 

Just one year later, another collaboration would elevate the Blazer even further, bringing it yet more fans. Teaming up with skateboarding lifestyle brand Supreme, Nike released three luxurious colourways in black, white and red. Each had a padded jacket-like upper as well as premium details like faux snakeskin swooshes and a golden heel loop. At the time, this deluxe model earned the sneaker wider recognition, particularly in the world of fashion, which paved the way for future collaborative releases with other brands.

Ordinarily, for a shoe to stay relevant for a long period, it has to adapt to an ever-changing world. Not so with the Nike Blazer. It carved its own path and achieved incredible longevity through staying largely unaltered in its design as the world changed around it – remarkable for a sneaker that started out as a basketball trainer.