Nike Blue Ribbon SB (BRSB in short)
If you’re not familiar with the history of Nike, the brand was born out of Blue Ribbon Sports, a distribution company that became a prolific importer and distributor of Onitsuka Tiger, a Japanese brand that made running sneakers. As relationships between Onitsuka Tiger and Blue Ribbon Sports began to deteriorate, Phil Knight began selling his own brand of performance sneakers at track meets, one of the sneakers being the Bill Bowerman designed Nike Cortez in 1972
So it’s only right that Nike’s mother company Blue Ribbon Sports sees its namesake on a Nike SB model that takes cues from the Nike Cortez itself. This year it’s the Cortez’s 50th anniversary.
The Nike BRSB is a blend of new world tech with OG design language.
Almost every detail, from the colour-blocking to the sawtooth pattern on the sole, was inspired by the original Nike Cortez. But, because this shoe is built to last, Nike added extras where they're needed—like the rubber from the sole that wraps up and over the heel and toe for durability. It also wraps the sides, adding an extra layer to high-use areas, like the ollie zone.
Additional details include the use of the modernized React foam on a drop-in insole which is viewable through a translucent window on the midsole.
The Nike BRSB in White/Varsity Red is now available at Sparky
