Nike, as a brand, has always been identified as an innovator. With its penchant for thinking outside the box, the brand has introduced ideas to the sneaker market that became trendsetters. One such brilliant idea was the Nike College Colours Collection. In fact, this collection by Nike was so significant that it redefined the contours of what a sneaker could be and changed the design paradigm for ever.
Before
this collection, basketball shoes focused more on functionality than aesthetic.
The result were high
performance shoes that were rather dull. Nike saw this as an opportunity to
bring something new to the table. Moreover, the brand so this is an opportunity
to speak directly to a demographic that constituted a large part of its patrons— young college athletes. Designer Peter Moore rose to the challenge and
designed, for the first time ever, Nike Dunks in colourways that represented
various prominent college teams in the 1980s.
This collection
it was memorable for several reasons—firstly, it brought more colour do the
basketball sneaker design and introduced Nike’s signature colour-blocking palettes;
secondly, the shoe became a rallying point for young fans of college basketball
As athletes and their supporters alike could don Nike shoes in their team
colours to show support. it also made the wearer feel a sense of belonging, and
being a part of the team itself.
The aura and excitement
around the College Colours collection was mainly a result of genius marketing.
College athletics, especially basketball, had a huge fanbase in the 1980s,
which was fuelled by even professional athletes coming out of college teams. Nike
took on board 12 prominent American colleges and curated their team colours
into apparel and footwear.
Design wise,
this collection was not very different from its predecessor, the wildly famous
Air Jordan 1. The overall silhouette as well as the high traction sole were
borrowed from that shoe since the brand had perfected those elements. Elements
were also borrowed from other successful Nike designs like the Legend and
Terminator. The result was an excellent combination of the best functional and
aesthetic elements of the well-loved Nike shoes.
The designers
also made a bold choice by putting vibrant colours front and centre for these
new shoes. The aesthetics of the shoe helped it gain fans across the aisle. Due
to the flat sole, skaters were also seen enthusiastically opting for this shoe,
which eventually led do the skateboarding version of the Nike Dunks. The design
had a strong crossover appeal and it quickly became a street wear favourite, becoming
a defining feature of the style of that decade
Nike is on its
way to that revive and breathe new life into this much-loved collection. the
latest iteration of Air
Jordan 1 High in University Blue. While the collection has been a fan-favourite
in itself, few colourways come close to the popularity that University Blue has
gained. Much of it can be attributed to the fact that basketball legend Michael
Jordan himself wore these varsity colours in his time as a college athlete.
Nike brings back
the classic elements of the OG collection, with signature colour-blocking palette,
and high top design. The branding and insignia are all done in black, and they
pop out against them lighter background. Despite being a modern day release,
the design of the shoe stays strongly committed to its retro roots. Apart from
the design, the shoe has been upgraded to incorporate Nike’s ever improving
comfort technology. while the upper of the shoe is made from high quality
genuine suede leather, the sole features a high traction rubber for excellent
grip. Another exciting feature is that the new releases available in a high top
version, which along with the classic colourway, is the perfect reminder of the
Jordan era that arguably started the mania around basketball and its star
athletes. This version of the sneakers is also super comfortable to wear as the
laces start well in the front of the foot and go all the way up to the ankles,
this gives unparalleled snugness and comfort to the wearer.
Thrifter is super excited for the release of the Air
Jordan 1 High in the University Blue variant! Follow us on Instagram and let us
know what you think about this Nike OGs. Also, grab the latest info on Air Jordan
Low, only at Thrifter.
