It is always interesting to see in which direction Nike, the international industry leader, attempts to push the field. We suppose that when claiming upward of 90% of the global sneaker market it is safe to assume that the Oregon brand exercises a certain power that allows them to choose designs and colorways for us consumers and their competitors.
Traditionally speaking, Nike tends to introduce their new collections with a general theme, a theme usually emphasized by color. Taking it back to the classic designs of the Air Max 90, the one colorway that sticks out the most and is even synonymous when it comes to the Nike runner is Infrared. In fact, infrared has had such a profound impact with its initial release, that the popularity of the color resonates decades later. To date, Nike has offered neon detailing with several different colorway options on virtually every Nike shoe made, whether it be OG or ID.
However, before the term “infrared” was coined, the original color code was introduced as Hyvent Orange and later Radiant Red. The idea behind applying a color that stood in stark contrast with other colors of the sneaker was part of an effort to mark a clear distinction between Nike and competing brands. Job well done if we do say so ourselves! Not only has infrared survived Nike’s innovative times for almost 30 years, but has successfully infiltrated all departments of the Swoosh.
Directing your attention toward Nike’s first staple athlete, Michael Jordan, and his Air Jordan VI, which, to no surprise, is dubbed the Black Infrared 6. The significance is not that this was Nike’s first product outside of the Air Max 90 to sport the neon-red accent, but the fact that it was an obvious opposite to the Chicago Bulls team color. See, back in those days — the Golden Era of basketball — commissioner Stern had in mind a very uniform image for his players in the NBA. Must we remind you of MJ’s first shoe and the topic-appropriate nickname Banned 1s that Mr. Stern got rid of before the season had even started? Passing the strict inspections of the NBA’s uniform code bore testament to the undeniale trademark of the infrared. In a way, we witnessed the birth of a timeless Nike signature that graces retro models and new products to this day.
With Nike’s latest collection well underway, we have yet again been introduced to a new color scheme. Fit for the cold months to come we tend to see an increase in earth tone colors, particularly olive or military green. Clearly, these colorways are a frequently recurring theme, especially when including the “all-camo-everthing” phase of recent years as part of the same color tone. Whether we will consider the green an all-time classic like the iconic infrared remains to be seen. In the meantime, check out some of Nike’s latest sneakers, available in our online shop at KICKZ.UK (as well as in the following shops: DE|AT|CH|FR|NL)!
