Originally posted on Housakicks
Reading the Nike Cortez Kenny 1 especially the ” Kenny 1″ part generated a series of thoughts in my mind. A sneaker like the Nike Air Pippen 1 makes sense, but how does a Cortez Kenny 1 make any sense. Kendrick Lamar isn’t a professional basketball player like Pippen; as a matter of fact he doesn’t play any professional sport. So the question is: why does he have a signature shoe? Well that’s a sign of the times we live in, and it started years ago with Kanye West. Sneakers have definitely transcended the performance scene and have fully integrated every area of our daily lives.
The Nike Cortez Kenny 1 was obviously inspired by K. Lamar’s DAMN album. He claimed he was always fond of the Cortez’s growing up and I suppose having a pair designed for him is a dream coming true. I was checking for the stockists that would carry the shoes and to my surprise ( not really surprised though) only Nike was listed as the only store to have them. The brand has decided to keep the shoe in house, paralleling the idea of the CDO ( Consumer Direct Offense). This move basically gives Nike a tremendous boost search wise. Everyone is going to be directing their attention to the Nike site which will result in building and acquiring a larger audience. Nike isn’t to be trifled with; all their maneuvers so far this year have been calculated and geared toward building, connecting and retaining the consumer. This is brilliant.
THE SHOES
Nike Cortez Kenny 1 Damn
Style#AV8255-106
Current Market Price:
The shoes are currently reselling for $300+
which is incredible for a pair of Nike Cortez. But this is where you’ll recognize the genius of Nike, they are basically subtly repairing the image of the brand. Remember last year Adidas made a run and really disrupted Nike lifestyle/ running shoes in the retail market. Nike’s recent adjustments are definitely geared toward recreating the idea of exclusivity the brand is known for.