Nike Cortez x UNION

‘Sesame’

One of the original sneaker boutiques, UNION established its roots in 1989 in New York City on the foundation of rebellion and youth streetwear. UNION Los Angeles was opened later in 1991 by one of the boutique's former employees, Chris Gibbs. UNION Los Angeles was one of the first to normalize sneaker boutiques collaborating on a sneaker, and the brand has consistently done this with Nike and Jordan since 2005 with the Nike Air Force 180 x UNION ‘Clerks Pack’ released in 2005. Since then, UNION has delivered a selection of thoughtful collaborative silhouettes from Nike and Jordan, including the Dunk High, Dunk Low, Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 4, and the Air Jordan 2.

The latest collaboration between the two brands is introduced on a new silhouette, the Nike Cortez. This reimagined sneaker celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Cortez while expressing the rich history and cultural diversity of the city of Los Angeles. The boutique’s current Los Angeles owners, Beth Birkett, and Chris Gibbs drew inspiration from the people and communities of the city. This contemporary sneaker is a tribute to the icon itself and plays around with new textural elements. The design manifests as a love letter from one Los Angeles legend to another while utilizing UNION’s signature color and texture juxtapositions.

The sneaker is treated with canvas underlays paired with suede overlays for a textured aesthetic. Striped details are seen along with bold accenting at the Swooshes, laces, lower throat, and heel tabs. UNION branding resides at the forefoot tabs along with the insoles and heel tabs. Signature branding can also be seen on the tongue label. For an eco-friendly aesthetic, the silhouette features a Crater Foam midsole along with a Nike Grind rubber outsole that is comfortable and durable. The patched eyestays and textured caps round out the rest of this collaborative sneaker.

FEATURE Release - Tuesday, June 28th

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