Resurgence of the Nike College Colours Collection

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.