NIKE CORTEZ VINTAGE RUNNING SHOE - WHITE AND ORANGE SIZE 11.5

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THE ICONIC NIKE CORTEZ SILHOUETTE, FEATURING THE DISTINCTIVE WHITE LEATHER UPPER WITH BRIGHT ORANGE SWOOSH BRANDING AND ORANGE WAFFLE-PATTERN RUBBER SOLE. THIS VINTAGE ATHLETIC SHOE REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN SNEAKER DESIGN HISTORY, WHEN THE CORTEZ WAS A DOMINANT FORCE IN BOTH RUNNING AND CASUAL WEAR MARKETS.

IDENTIFICATION AND PROVENANCE:
- MAKER: NIKE
- MODEL: CORTEZ (STYLE NUMBER 349026-181)
- PRODUCTION: MADE IN THAILAND, CIRCA 1980S
- SIZE: US 11.5 (UK 10.5, EUR 45.5, CM 29.5)
- ORIGINAL BOX LABEL PRESENT WITH PRODUCTION DATE 09/10/08 AND SHIPMENT DATE 11/07/08

CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN:
- UPPER: SMOOTH WHITE LEATHER WITH MINIMAL SYNTHETIC OVERLAY
- BRANDING: BRIGHT ORANGE SWOOSH TO LATERAL AND MEDIAL SIDES
- HEEL COUNTER: BLACK SYNTHETIC MATERIAL WITH EMBOSSED NIKE LETTERING
- SOLE: ORANGE WAFFLE-PATTERN RUBBER WITH CHARACTERISTIC CORTEZ TREAD DESIGN
- LACING: ORIGINAL CREAM CANVAS LACES
- LINING: CREAM CANVAS INTERIOR WITH AGED PATINA

CONDITION ASSESSMENT:
THE PAIR SHOWS HONEST VINTAGE WEAR CONSISTENT WITH GENUINE USE OVER SEVERAL DECADES. THE WHITE LEATHER UPPER DISPLAYS NATURAL CREASING AND SURFACE PATINA TYPICAL OF AGED ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR. THE RUBBER SOLE EXHIBITS SIGNIFICANT COMPRESSION AND TREAD WEAR, PARTICULARLY VISIBLE IN THE HEEL AND FOREFOOT AREAS WHERE THE WAFFLE PATTERN HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY FLATTENED. THE HEEL COUNTER SHOWS MINOR SEPARATION AT THE BACK SEAM AND AGE-RELATED DISCOLOURATION. THE CANVAS LINING IS VISIBLE IN WORN AREAS, AND THE INSOLE PADDING SHOWS COMPRESSION FROM EXTENDED WEAR. ALL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS REMAIN INTACT DESPITE THE AGED APPEARANCE.

SIGNIFICANCE:
THE NIKE CORTEZ REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL RUNNING SHOE DESIGNS OF THE LATE 1970S AND 1980S. ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY PETER MOORE IN 1972, THE CORTEZ BECAME A CULTURAL ICON FAR BEYOND ITS ORIGINAL ATHLETIC PURPOSE. THIS EXAMPLE, WITH ITS CLEAN WHITE AND ORANGE COLOURWAY, EXEMPLIFIES THE AESTHETIC THAT MADE THE CORTEZ A CROSSOVER SUCCESS IN BOTH PERFORMANCE RUNNING AND CASUAL STREETWEAR MARKETS. THE THAILAND MANUFACTURING DATE PLACES THIS PAIR WITHIN THE PERIOD OF PEAK CORTEZ POPULARITY AND REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF SNEAKER HERITAGE.

NOTE: THIS IS A VINTAGE ATHLETIC SHOE OFFERED AS A COLLECTIBLE EXAMPLE OF 1980S SNEAKER DESIGN AND CULTURE. THE CONDITION REFLECTS GENUINE AGE AND USE, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH AND EXPECTED FOR AUTHENTIC VINTAGE FOOTWEAR OF THIS ERA.

Item Size: Height: 30cm, Width: 12cm, Depth: 9cm, Weight: 1Kg

Condition: Fair - Refer To Images

165A
582437+51

Location of item: 4-10 Keon Parade, Thomastown, VIC, Australia