The Evolution of Activewear - Part 1 Nike

The reality is that Activewear is too big to ignore. After the explosive growth of this fashion trend, it’s undisputedly fully mainstream. Womenswear now demands the comfort and functionality that menswear has always had. It’s empowering for womenswear to be able to do whatever, and to be comfortable — even to the point of having pockets in your leggings so you can carry your phone. Activewear fans are willing to invest more into that piece of clothing as they’re not buying a piece of clothing, they’re buying a lifestyle. To put it plainly, if you have a good brand, people will buy into that and not just a pair of Lycra leggings.

Quality and innovation is what Nike has and what sets itself apart from its competitors. Nike sneakers have become synonymous with running, basketball and other high-performance sports. The iconic tick has also become an Activewear brand and style staple in many wardrobes around the world. This is also driven by celebrities like Lebron James, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan who advocate Nike creating further entrenching it’s legacy. World domination emanating from a brand that’s best known for its running shoes, as history tells us, the Nike brand revolution began with sneakers and the will to enhance athletic performance on the track. Nike are masters of opportunity marketing and leaders in innovative thinking. Yeezy, Airforce and sports bras, worlds apart, singing the same tune.

The Evolution of Nike Sneakers

Nike began its journey as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. Founder Phil Knight ran for his school’s track and field team at the University of Oregon. Here, he met Bill Bowerman. Bill was passionate about performance and looking for ways to enhance the performance of his team running shoes. Knight was one of the first students to try Bowerman’s optimised shoes. His teammate Otis Davis wore these optimised shoes when he went on to win gold in the 400-meter dash in the 1960 Olympics. 

Knight left the University of Oregon and completed his MBA at Stanford. He wrote a paper contemplating the cost-efficiency of moving running shoe production from Germany to Japan. This put him on the path that would lead to the creation of Nike. On a trip to Japan, Knight made a deal with popular Japanese footwear brand Onitsuka Tiger to import their sneakers in the United States. His former coach, Bowerman, supported Knight’s venture, entering into a partnership that would later become Nike. 

Some of the biggest steps in the evolution of Nike sneakers include the following:

• 1972 - The Moon shoe is introduced, featuring Bowerman’s waffle soles for athletes competing at the Oregon Trials in June 1972.
• 1974 - The Waffle shoe is launched, with Bowerman’s waffle outsole. This sneaker became the best-selling training shoe in the US.
• 1979 - The Tailwind was launched at the same time as the Honolulu Marathon in November 1978. This is the first running shoe featuring Nike Air, the state-of-the-art patented Air-Sole cushioning system.
• 1982 - The Air Force 1 basketball sneaker is launched. This shoe features Nike Air cushioning technology designed to improve basketball performance.
• 1996 - Michael Johnson's famous gold spikes make their debut in track, weighing less than 100g. These light-weight running shoes helped him win 200m and 400m gold at the 1996 Olympic Games. In Atlanta, other Nike partnered athletes win gold, including Carl Lewis and Gail Devers.
• 2000s - The next years saw Nike develop many cutting-edge technologies, from Nike Shox that uses materials made for the engine mounts of race cars to Nike Free that emulates the benefits of barefoot running; Flywire that high-strength threads and precise suspension for an extremely light-weight shoe; and many others.

At its heart, Nike has remained a shoe for those who love the feel of running on the open road. It has also become a staple for comfortable footwear that is lightweight, supportive and easy to wear. Activewear is athletic apparel that people can wear in non-athletic settings without raising an eyebrow. Think women wearing yoga pants for a night out after work or CEOs wearing sneakers to board meetings. Athletic-casual is acceptable to wear in almost every social setting, and we love the benefits that this trend has to offer.

You can shop a wide range of sneakers for men, women and kids at Side Step. Shop online or find your nearest branch to shop Nike sneakers in store.