The Nike Cortez, the basketball of the athletes

It was at the instigation of Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike and former sports coach at the University of Oregon, that in 1972, the Nike Cortez basketball stands out for its stylistic feats: weight lightened by l the use of nylon, a "waffle" sole molded to cushion shocks and a rubber tip that promotes rebound ... thus significantly reducing leg fatigue and tendon strain compared to other leather-clad sneakers .

The same year, she was selected at the Munich Summer Olympics to become the official athlete's shoe. The world then discovers the emblematic logo "swoosh", stylized representation of the wings of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, to whom the brand also owes its name.

Sacred champion of running, the Cortez records incredible sales performance with a record rate of $ 800,000 for the first year of its launch. A head start that has contributed significantly to the brand's resounding success - remember that Nike is the largest sports equipment supplier in the world with a turnover of around $ 25.29 billion in 2013.

The Nike Cortez, from sportswear to streetwear

A favorite of high-level athletes and sportsmen on American campuses, the Cortez has gone beyond the boundaries of sport to become the torchbearer of a decidedly urban fashion, just like a teddy jacket or jogging pants.

If the initial model was wearing blue-white-red colors, the Cortez declined over time with variations of colors and variations of materials, thus receiving the honor of timeless piece honor.

A glimpse of actress Farah Fawcett, a skater on Sunday and immortalized at the feet of a Tom Hanks , reconverted marathoner in Forrest Gump, she is undoubtedly a pillar of sneaker culture.